Theranostics: The Synergy of Biophotonics, Radiology and Nanomedicine

    Dr. Lo’s major research interests converge in the field of Translational Nanotheranostics: Precision Radio-immuno Nanotheranostics (PRINT) with Molecular Imaging Innovations. It harnesses multidisciplinary approaches to advance biophotonic/radiological nanomedicine, especially in design and application of novel nanoplatforms for in vivo spectroscopy/sensors and the fusion of multimodality imaging-guided photothermal (PTT), photodynamic (PDT), radiodynamic (RDT), and proton therapies (PT), for cancers, cardiovascular diseases, central nervous system injuries, and metabolic diseases such as obesity.

    In early 2000s (Biophotonics period), Dr. Lo led his team in NHRI to spearhead the first-in-class minimally-invasive neurobiophotonic microsystems and non-invasive in-vivo optical imaging system. Various fluorescence single molecule-detection techniques have been adopted, including fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), fluorescence anisotropy, and fluorescence cross correlation spectroscopy (FCS/FCCS). An example of his works as using first-in-class neurophotonics combined with microdialysis and microlightguide system probing the blood-brain-barrier (BBB) was published in the top-ranked journal Analytical Chemistry with a very solid citation of 111 up to date.

    In mid-2000s (Nanotheranostics period), he was a leading renowned advocate of all-in-one nanotheranostics in the international nanomedicine communities. Dr. Lo constituted tri-functionalization of novel nanoparticles, especially mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN), orchestrates the trio of imaging, targeted delivery and therapy. The pertaining works were published in series as two papers in Journal of Materials Chemistry with Citations 175 (Issue Cover) and 262. Dr. Lo’s group and collaborators were the first to report applying near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent MSN for in vivo optical imaging (Advanced Functional Materials IF: 19/Citation: 363). Following that, surface charge dependent hepatobiliary transport and excretion of fluorescent MSN was assessed. Two important publications indicated that judicious tailoring of the surface charge of MSNs might enable one to control both MSN rates of excretion and MSN biodistribution – a functionality that could lead their widespread clinical use as targetable contrast agents and traceable drug delivery platforms (ACS Nano IF: 16/Citation: 118) (Biomaterials IF: 12.9/Citation: 369). The work exploiting well-defined mesoporous nanostructure of MSN to modulate three-dimensional interface energy transfer for two-photon activated cancer PDT reported an unprecedented photon energy transfer efficiency of 93% (Nano Today IF: 10.9/Citation: 65). For the drug-controlled release, with substantial citations, Dr. Lo reported the novel design of intracellular pH-responsive MSN for controlled release of anticancer chemotherapeutics that was published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition (IF: 16.9/Citation: 433).

    In the last decade and half (Radiotheranostics period), he has been directing his research agenda to the development of nanoscintillator-mediated radiodynamic therapy, harnessing high-energy photon and particle (e.g., proton) therapies via the “minimalism” design concept (i.e., the simpler the better) that also further facilitates the downstream potential of translation to industry. From 2011 to 2015, Dr. Lo served as the Director of Translational Nanotheranostics in the Functional & Molecular Imaging and Theranostics (FMI&T) Group at the University of Chicago leading the transdisciplinary research collaborated with the Brain Institute at Northwestern University. With great outcomes, he continues the ensuing close collaborations with the Chicago Biomedical Consortium (CBC) to this date. Multiple important research projects combining nanotechnology, tracer methodology, molecular imaging and PDT have been carried out, e.g., the work to integrate nanoparticles with trityl tracer for electron paramagnetic resonance imaging (EPRI) for intracellular assessment of oxygenation, which was not feasible previously; and the investigation to conjugate neural stem cells with nanoparticles and radioisotopes for imaging and theranostic application in treating brain tumors, etc. These seamless collaborations that Dr. Lo spearheaded have resulted in a number of impactful publications in the top 10% ranked journals, e.g., Journal of Nuclear Medicine (SCI: 9.1/Citation: 93), Small (IF: 12.1/Citation: 104), and Theranostics (IF: 13.3/Citation: 87), etc. In recent years, Dr. Lo has developed a proprietary gold nanodandelions (GND) that to enable multi-functional cancer therapies in a simplified approach (Minimalism). This effort has resulted in publications in several leading journals including ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces and 4 patents (2 in acquisition and 2 under review). The following in-depth development of GND has been awarded with a 3-year Innovation and Application of Nanoscience Thematic Program (2025-2028) by National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan. Furthermore, Dr. Lo is holding a portfolio of 40 patents representing 17 technologies. Amongst, the one designed with the “minimalism” concept of using the pristine MSN as an anti-obesity drug to modulate the oil absorption in vivo has been translated with a substantial exclusive technology transfer for commercialization in 2021.