Adaptive Opto-Thermal-Hydrodynamic Manipulation and Polymerization (AOTHMAP) for 4D Colloidal Patterning.

Precision colloidal patterning holds great promise in constructing customizable micro/nanostructures and functional frameworks, which showcases significant application values across various fields, from intelligent manufacturing to optoelectronic integration and biofabrication. Here, a direct 4D patterning method via adaptive opto-thermal-hydrodynamic manipulation and polymerization (AOTHMAP) with single-particle resolution is reported. This approach utilizes a single laser beam to automatically transport, position, and immobilize colloidal particles through the adaptive utilization of light-induced hydrodynamic force, optical force, and photothermal polymerization.

Neural stimulation and modulation with sub-cellular precision by optomechanical bio-dart.

Neural stimulation and modulation at high spatial resolution are crucial for mediating neuronal signaling and plasticity, aiding in a better understanding of neuronal dysfunction and neurodegenerative diseases. However, developing a biocompatible and precisely controllable technique for accurate and effective stimulation and modulation of neurons at the subcellular level is highly challenging. Here, we report an optomechanical method for neural stimulation and modulation with subcellular precision using optically controlled bio-darts.

Opto-Thermal-Tension Mediated Precision Large-Scale Particle Manipulation and Flexible Patterning.

Large-scale particle manipulation with single-particle precision and further flexible patterning into functional structures is of huge potentials in many fields including bio-optoelectronic sensing, colloidal lithography, and wearable devices. However, it is very challenging for the precision manipulation and flexible patterning of particles on complicated curved and functional substrates. In this work, opto-thermal-tension (OTT) mediated precision large-scale particle manipulation and flexible patterning based on soap film are reported.

Spontaneous Particle Ordering, Sorting, and Assembly on Soap Films.

Soap bubbles exhibit abundant fascinating phenomena throughout the entire life of evolution with different fundamental physics governing them. Nevertheless, the complicated dynamics of small objects in soap films are still unrevealed. Here, we report the first observation of spontaneous particle ordering in a complicated galaxy of soap films without any external energy.

Light-controlled soft bio-microrobot.

Micro/nanorobots hold exciting prospects for biomedical and even clinical applications due to their small size and high controllability. However, it is still a big challenge to maneuver micro/nanorobots into narrow spaces with high deformability and adaptability to perform complicated biomedical tasks. Here, we report a light-controlled soft bio-microrobots (called "Ebot") based on Euglena gracilis that are capable of performing multiple tasks in narrow microenvironments including intestinal mucosa with high controllability, deformability and adaptability.

Wake-Riding Effect-Inspired Opto-Hydrodynamic Diatombot for Non-Invasive Trapping and Removal of Nano-Biothreats.

Contamination of nano-biothreats, such as viruses, mycoplasmas, and pathogenic bacteria, is widespread in cell cultures and greatly threatens many cell-based bio-analysis and biomanufacturing. However, non-invasive trapping and removal of such biothreats during cell culturing, particularly many precious cells, is of great challenge. Here, inspired by the wake-riding effect, a biocompatible opto-hydrodynamic diatombot (OHD) based on optical trapping navigated rotational diatom (Phaeodactylum tricornutum Bohlin) for non-invasive trapping and removal of nano-biothreats is reported.

Single-Cell Surgery and Intracellular Organelle Manipulation Via Thermoplasmonics Combined Optical Trapping.

Microsurgery and biopsies on individual cells in a cellular microenvironment are of great importance to better understand the fundamental cellular processes at subcellular and even single-molecular levels. However, it is still a big challenge for in situ surgery without interfering with neighboring living cells. Here, we report a thermoplasmonics combined optical trapping (TOT) technique for in situ single-cell surgery and intracellular organelle manipulation, without interfering with neighboring cells.

MicroRNA-activated hydrogel scaffold generated by 3D printing accelerates bone regeneration.

Bone defects remain a major threat to human health and bone tissue regeneration has become a prominent clinical demand worldwide. The combination of microRNA (miRNA) therapy with 3D printed scaffolds has always posed a challenge. It can mimic physiological bone healing processes, in which a biodegradable scaffold is gradually replaced by neo-tissue, and the sustained release of miRNA plays a vital role in creating an optimal osteogenic microenvironment, thus achieving promising bone repair outcomes.

Biophotonic probes for bio-detection and imaging.

The rapid development of biophotonics and biomedical sciences makes a high demand on photonic structures to be interfaced with biological systems that are capable of manipulating light at small scales for sensitive detection of biological signals and precise imaging of cellular structures. However, conventional photonic structures based on artificial materials (either inorganic or toxic organic) inevitably show incompatibility and invasiveness when interfacing with biological systems. The design of biophotonic probes from the abundant natural materials, particularly biological entities such as virus, cells and tissues, with the capability of multifunctional light manipulation at target sites greatly increases the biocompatibility and minimizes the invasiveness to biological microenvironment.

Optically Controlled Living Micromotors for the Manipulation and Disruption of Biological Targets.

Bioinspired and biohybrid micromotors represent a revolution in microrobotic research and are playing an increasingly important role in biomedical applications. In particular, biological micromotors that are multifunctional and can perform complex tasks are in great demand. Here, we report living and multifunctional micromotors based on single cells (green microalgae: ) that are controlled by optical force.

Optical Forces: From Fundamental to Biological Applications.

Optical forces, generally arising from changes of field gradients or linear momentum carried by photons, form the basis for optical trapping and manipulation. Advances in optical forces help to reveal the nature of light-matter interactions, giving answers to a wide range of questions and solving problems across various disciplines, and are still yielding new insights in many exciting sciences, particularly in the fields of biological technology, material applications, and quantum sciences. This review focuses on recent advances in optical forces, ranging from fundamentals to applications for biological exploration.

Amplitude Holographic Interference-Based Microfluidic Colorimetry at the Micrometer Scale.

Quantitative molecular analysis is usually based on spectrophotometric methods using colorimetric assay. Conventional methods, however, rely on the direct uniform absorption of the sample under test, and the detection sensitivity is strictly limited by the length of the absorption cell at the millimeter scale. Here, we report a new methodology for colorimetric assay based on the amplitude holographic interference (AHI) caused by nonuniform absorption of light, with detection sensitivity at the micrometer scale.

Optical Fiber Tweezers: A Versatile Tool for Optical Trapping and Manipulation.

Optical trapping is widely used in different areas, ranging from biomedical applications, to physics and material sciences. In recent years, optical fiber tweezers have attracted significant attention in the field of optical trapping due to their flexible manipulation, compact structure, and easy fabrication. As a versatile tool for optical trapping and manipulation, optical fiber tweezers can be used to trap, manipulate, arrange, and assemble tiny objects.

Quantum biological tunnel junction for electron transfer imaging in live cells.

Quantum biological electron transfer (ET) essentially involves in virtually all important biological processes such as photosynthesis, cellular respiration, DNA repair, cellular homeostasis, and cell death. However, there is no real-time imaging method to capture biological electron tunnelling in live cells to date. Here, we report a quantum biological electron tunnelling (QBET) junction and its application in real-time optical detection of QBET and the dynamics of ET in mitochondrial cytochrome c during cell life and death process.

Living Nanospear for Near-Field Optical Probing.

Optical nanoprobes, designed to emit or collect light in the close proximity of a sample, have been extensively used to sense and image at nanometer resolution. However, the available nanoprobes, constructed from artificial materials, are incompatible and invasive when interfacing with biological systems. In this work, we report a fully biocompatible nanoprobe for subwavelength probing of localized fluorescence from leukemia single-cells in human blood.

Single Upconversion Nanoparticle-Bacterium Cotrapping for Single-Bacterium Labeling and Analysis.

Detecting and analyzing pathogenic bacteria in an effective and reliable manner is crucial for the diagnosis of acute bacterial infection and initial antibiotic therapy. However, the precise labeling and analysis of bacteria at the single-bacterium level are a technical challenge but very important to reveal important details about the heterogeneity of cells and responds to environment. This study demonstrates an optical strategy for single-bacterium labeling and analysis by the cotrapping of single upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) and bacteria together.

Manipulation and detection of single nanoparticles and biomolecules by a photonic nanojet.

Optical methods to manipulate and detect nanoscale objects are highly desired in both nanomaterials and molecular biology fields. Optical tweezers have been used to manipulate objects that range in size from a few hundred nanometres to several micrometres. The emergence of near-field methods that overcome the diffraction limit has enabled the manipulation of objects below 100 nm.

Trapping and Detection of Nanoparticles and Cells Using a Parallel Photonic Nanojet Array.

In advanced nanoscience, there is a strong desire to trap and detect nanoscale objects with high-throughput, single-nanoparticle resolution and high selectivity. Although emerging optical methods have enabled the selective trapping and detection of multiple micrometer-sized objects, it remains a great challenge to extend this functionality to the nanoscale. Here, we report an approach to trap and detect nanoparticles and subwavelength cells at low optical power using a parallel photonic nanojet array produced by assembling microlenses on an optical fiber probe.

Non-contact intracellular binding of chloroplasts in vivo.

Non-contact intracellular binding and controllable manipulation of chloroplasts in vivo was demonstrated using an optical fiber probe. Launching a 980-nm laser beam into a fiber, which was placed about 3 μm above the surface of a living plant (Hydrilla verticillata) leaf, enabled stable binding of different numbers of chloroplasts, as well as their arrangement into one-dimensional chains and two-dimensional arrays inside the leaf without damaging the chloroplasts. Additionally, the formed chloroplast chains were controllably transported inside the living cells.

Non-contact fiber-optical trapping of motile bacteria: dynamics observation and energy estimation.

The dynamics and energy conversion of bacteria are strongly associated with bacterial activities, such as survival, spreading of bacterial diseases and their pathogenesis. Although different discoveries have been reported on trapped bacteria (i.e.

Controllable orientation of single silver nanowire using two fiber probes.

We report a strategy for realizing precise orientation of single silver nanowire using two fiber probes. By launching a laser of 980 nm wavelength into the two fibers, single silver nanowire with a diameter of 600 nm and a length of 6.5 μm suspended in water was trapped and rotated by optical torque resulting from its interaction with optical fields outputted from the fiber probes.

Escherichia coli-based biophotonic waveguides.

The rapid progresses in biological and biomedical applications with optical interfaces have motivated an ever-increasing demand for biocompatible and disposable photonic components. Generally, these biophotonic components are first integrated with biocompatible materials and then interfaced with biological samples, such as living cells, for biological use. Therefore, direct formation of biophotonic components using living cells is greatly desired because the cells would serve simultaneously as samples and optical elements for signal sensing and detection.

Trapping and delivery of Escherichia coli in a microfluidic channel using an optical nanofiber.

The stable trapping and direct delivery of bacteria are very important in studying their nanoscopic biochemical processes. Here, we report the stable optical trapping and direct delivery of Escherichia coli in a microfluidic channel. By placing an optical nanofiber (NF, diameter: 600 nm) in the channel and directing a laser beam with a wavelength of 980 nm and an optical power over 25 mW into the NF, E.

Optofluidic realization and retaining of cell-cell contact using an abrupt tapered optical fibre.

Studies reveal that there exists much interaction and communication between bacterial cells, with parts of these social behaviors depending on cell-cell contacts. The cell-cell contact has proved to be crucial for determining various biochemical processes. However, for cell culture with relatively low cell concentration, it is difficult to precisely control and retain the contact of a small group of cells.

Optical trapping, driving, and arrangement of particles using a tapered fibre probe.

The ability of manipulating mesoscopic objects with high precision and flexibility is extremely important for a wide variety of fields from physics, biochemistry, to biomedicine. Particularly, the ability of arranging particles/cells into desired patterns precisely is a challenge for numerous physical and biological applications. Here, we report a strategy of realizing highly flexible trapping, driving, and precise arrangement of particles using a tapered fibre probe.