AI Insight
Researchers at the National Center for Tumor Diseases in Dresden, working with an international team including 2024 Nobel laureate David Baker, have developed novel designer proteins capable of producing near-infrared (NIR) and short-wave infrared (SWIR) imaging signals. This represents the first successful creation of proteins specifically engineered for this wavelength range. The study was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
Why it matters
These proteins could enable significantly deeper tissue imaging in medical applications, as NIR and SWIR wavelengths penetrate biological tissue more effectively than visible light. This advancement has potential applications in cancer detection, surgical guidance, and other medical imaging scenarios where visualization of deeper tissues is critical.
Understand the Science
Researchers at the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT/UCC) in Dresden, including Oliver Bruns and Dr. Bernardo Arús, are participating in an international study that has, for the first time, developed novel proteins for near-infrared (NIR) and short-wave infrared imaging (SWIR). The research was conducted in collaboration with an international team that included chemistry Nobel laureate David Baker, who was honored in 2024 for his work on computational protein design. The study, with shared first authorship, was recently published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
Source: Designer proteins unlock near-infrared and SWIR glow for deeper tissue imaging