Monthly Archives: January 2026

“Skin in a syringe” offers a new way to heal burns

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An August 14, 2025 news item on ScienceDaily announced research into burn care from Sweden’s Linköping University,

Researchers have created what could be called “skin in a syringe.” The gel containing live cells can be 3D printed into a skin transplant, as shown in a study conducted on mice. This technology may lead to new ways to treat burns and severe wounds. The study was led from the Center for Disaster Medicine and Traumatology and Linköping University in Sweden, and has been published in Advanced Healthcare Materials.

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An August 12, 2025 Linköping University press release (also on EurekAlert), which originated the news item, delves further into the research,

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As long as we have a healthy skin, we do not give it much thought. However, if we get major wounds or other injuries, it becomes clear that the skin is the body’s protection from the outside world. Helping the body restore the skin barrier after a serious burn can therefore be a matter of life and death.

Large burns are often treated by transplanting a thin layer of the top part of the skin, the epidermis. This is basically composed of a single cell type. Transplanting only this part of the skin leads to severe scarring.

Under the epidermis there is a thicker and more advanced layer of skin called the dermis. It has blood vessels, nerves, hair follicles and other structures necessary for skin function and elasticity. However, transplanting also the dermis is rarely an option, as the procedure leaves a wound as large as the wound to be healed.

The trick is to create new skin that does not become scar tissue but a functioning dermis.

“The dermis is so complicated that we can’t grow it in a lab. We don’t even know what all its components are. That’s why we, and many others, think that we could possibly transplant the building blocks and then let the body make the dermis itself,” says Johan Junker, researcher at the Swedish Center for Disaster Medicine and Traumatology and docent in plastic surgery at Linköping University, who led the study published in Advanced Healthcare Materials.

The most common cell type in the dermis, the connective tissue cell or fibroblast, is easy to remove from the body and grow in a lab. The connective tissue cell also has the advantage of being able to develop into more specialised cell types depending on what is needed. The researchers behind the study provide a scaffold by having the cells grow on tiny, porous beads of gelatine, a substance similar to skin collagen. But a liquid containing these beads poured on a wound will not stay there.

The researchers’ solution to the problem is mixing the gelatine beads with a gel consisting of another body-specific substance, hyaluronic acid. When the beads and gel are mixed, they are connected using what is known as click chemistry. The result is a gel that, somewhat simplified, can be called skin in a syringe.

“The gel has a special feature that means that it becomes liquid when exposed to light pressure. You can use a syringe to apply it to a wound, for example, and once applied it becomes gel-like again. This also makes it possible to 3D print the gel with the cells in it,” says Daniel Aili, professor of molecular physics at Linköping University, who led the study together with Johan Junker.

In the current study, the researchers 3D-printed small pucks that were placed under the skin of mice. The results point to the potential of this technology to be used to grow the patient’s own cells from a minimal skin biopsy, which are then 3D-printed into a graft and applied to the wound.

“We see that the cells survive and it’s clear that they produce different substances that are needed to create new dermis. In addition, blood vessels are formed in the grafts, which is important for the tissue to survive in the body. We find this material very promising,” says Johan Junker.

Blood vessels are key to a variety of applications for engineered tissue-like materials. Scientists can grow cells in three-dimensional materials that can be used to build organoids, i.e. mini versions of organs. But there is a bottleneck as concerns these tissue models; they lack blood vessels to transport oxygen and nutrients to the cells. This means that there is a limit to how large the structures can get before the cells at the centre die from oxygen and nutrient deficiency.

The LiU researchers may be one step closer to solving the problem of blood vessel supply. In another article, also published in Advanced Healthcare Materials, the researchers describe a method for making threads from materials consisting of 98 per cent water, known as hydrogels.

“The hydrogel threads become quite elastic, so we can tie knots on them. We also show that they can be formed into mini-tubes, which we can pump fluid through or have blood vessel cells grow in,” says Daniel Aili.

The mini-tubes, or the perfusable channels as the researchers also call them, open up new possibilities for the development of blood vessels for e.g. organoids.

Lars Kölby, professor of plastic surgery at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, also participated in the project. The research has received funding from, among others, the Erling-Persson Foundation, the European Research Council (ERC), the Swedish Research Council and the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation.

Caption: The researchers 3D-printed small pucks of the gel with cells in it. Credit: Magnus Johansson/Linköping University

Here are links to and citations for both papers in the order in which they are mentioned in the press release,

Biphasic Granular Bioinks for Biofabrication of High Cell Density Constructs for Dermal Regeneration by Rozalin Shamasha, Sneha Kollenchery Ramanathan, Kristin Oskarsdotter, Fatemeh Rasti Boroojeni, Aleksandra Zielińska, Sajjad Naeimipour, Philip Lifwergren, Nina Reustle, Lauren Roberts, Annika Starkenberg, Gunnar Kratz, Peter Apelgren, Karin Säljö, Jonathan Rakar, Lars Kölby, Daniel Aili, Johan Junker. Advanced Healthcare Materials Volume 14, Issue 21 August 19, 2025 2501430 DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1002/adhm.202501430 First published online: 12 June 2025

This paper is open access.

Printing and Rerouting of Elastic and Protease Responsive Shape Memory Hydrogel Filaments by Philip Lifwergren, Viktoria Schoen, Sajjad Naeimipour, Lalit Khare, Anna Wunder, Hanna Blom, Jose G. Martinez, Pierfrancesco Pagella, Anders Fridberger, Johan Junker, Daniel Aili. Advanced Healthcare Materials Volume 14, Issue 22 August 28, 2025 2502262 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/adhm.202502262 First published online: 20 June 2025

This paper is open access.

Relief from tooth sensitivity with magnetically guided nanobots

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An August 11, 2025 Indian Institute of Science (IISc) press release (also on EurekAlert) by Shruti Sharma announces research into improving relief for people with tooth sensitivity, Note: A link has been removed,

Sensitive teeth need tough toothpaste, but technology can also help. Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in collaboration with deep-tech startup Theranautilus have now engineered CalBots – magnetic nanobots that can penetrate deep into dentinal tubules, which are tiny tunnels in teeth that lead to nerve endings. These CalBots can then form durable seals for worn enamel, offering lasting relief from sensitivity in just one application. The study is published in Advanced Science. 

The CalBots use a completely new class of bioceramic cement. While bioceramics are widely used in orthopaedics and dentistry for their mineralising properties, the team wanted a solution tailored for hypersensitivity – a formulation that could travel deeper and last longer. 

“We didn’t want to create a slightly better version of what’s already out there,” says Shanmukh Peddi, first author of the study and postdoctoral researcher at the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE), IISc, and co-founder of Theranautilus. “We wanted a technology that solves a real problem in a way that no one’s attempted before.”

Dental hypersensitivity affects nearly one in four people worldwide. It occurs when microscopic tubules in the dentine – the layer beneath the enamel –become exposed due to erosion or gum recession. These tiny tubules lead directly to nerve endings, which is why even a sip of cold water can cause a sudden, stabbing pain. Most current solutions, such as desensitising toothpastes, offer only surface-level relief and need to be reapplied regularly. 

CalBots, however, are different. These 400 nanometre-sized magnetic particles, loaded with a proprietary calcium silicate-based bioceramic formula, are guided by an external magnetic field deep into the exposed tubules. They can reach depths of up to 300-500 micrometers inside the tubules. Once there, the bots self-assemble into stable, cement-like plugs that block the tubules and recreate a durable seal that mimics the natural environment of the tooth.  

To test their innovation, the team used human teeth extracted for clinical reasons and created conditions where the dentine was exposed. On these samples, they applied CalBots under a magnetic field for 20 minutes, during which the bots sealed the dentinal tubules by forming deep, stable plugs – a result confirmed through high-resolution imaging. Encouraged by this, they progressed to animal trials in collaboration with researchers at IISc’s Center for Neuroscience. It involved giving mice a choice between cold and room temperature water. Healthy mice preferred both equally. But the mice with induced tooth sensitivity avoided the cold water completely. 

“After we treated the sensitive mice with our CalBot solution, they started drinking cold water again – the treatment worked like a charm. We saw 100% behavioural recovery. That was a big moment for us,” Peddi says.

The CalBots are composed entirely of materials classified as ‘Generally Recognised as Safe’ (GRAS), ensuring high biocompatibility. Toxicity tests on mice showed no adverse effects. “This is a compelling demonstration of what nanorobotics can achieve, and how they could significantly impact future healthcare,” says Ambarish Ghosh, Professor at CeNSE and one of the corresponding authors of the study. “We’re excited to see this work progress toward clinical use.” 

While the immediate goal is to relieve sensitivity, the implications of this work extend much further. “We’ve created a regenerative, active nanomaterial – a step towards the kind of ‘tiny mechanical surgeons’ Richard Feynman once envisioned,” says Debayan Dasgupta, former PhD student at CeNSE, co-founder of Theranautilus and one of the corresponding authors.

“This is something we’ve worked towards silently for years,” adds Peddi. “And the fact that we’ve done it here, in India, makes us very happy.” 

I don’t think this will show up at your dentist’s office next week but here’s a sneak peak,

Caption: Microscopic images of CalBots inside teeth. Credit: Shanmukh Peddi, Debayan Dasgupta

Here’s a link to and a citation for the paper,

Directed Self-Assembly of Magnetic Bioceramic Deep Inside Dentinal Tubules May Alleviate Dental Hypersensitivity by Shanmukh Peddi, Prajwal Hegde, Prannay Reddy, Anaxee Barman, Arnab Barik, Debayan Dasgupta, Ambarish Ghosh. Advanced Science Volume 12, Issue 39 October 20, 2025 e07664 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202507664 First published online: 17 July 2025

This paper is open access.

You can find the startup Theranautilus here

A bioinspired hydrogel patch with controllable adhesion properties for enhanced soft tissue repair

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The paper’s graphical abstract presents some intriguing visuals,

Caption: Schematic representation of the A/B-sides multi-biological functional hydrogel patch. Credit: Wenle Chen from Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University and Yu Wang from Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Let’s find out what those visuals were intended to convey, from an August 6, 2025 Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory (SLAB) press release on EurekAlert.org announced a bioinspired hydrogel patch,

A research team from Shenzhen University, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Hong Kong Polytechnic University has developed an innovative, bioinspired hydrogel patch with controllable adhesion properties to enhance soft tissue repair and prevent adhesions. Inspired by octopus suction cups and the eyeball surfaces, this patch features a dual-sided design: one side offers adjustable, revocable adhesion, while the other provides anti-adhesive functions. In vivo [animal] experiments demonstrate its effectiveness in reducing inflammation, promoting tissue healing, and allowing repositioning during surgical procedures, marking a significant advancement in biomedical materials.

Tissue repair required in scenarios such as trauma, post-operative of tumors is a common challenge for human healthcare. Soft tissue injuries and surgical wounds often face challenges such as excessive tissue adhesion, which can complicate healing and cause secondary complications. Traditional patches and sutures either lack adequate adhesion or induce unwanted tissue sticking, leading to inflammation and hindered recovery. There is an urgent need for biomaterials that can intelligently balance strong tissue integration with the ability to detach or reposition easily, matching the dynamic environment of internal tissues.

In this context, hydrogel patches, owing to their exceptional biocompatibility and potential adhesive properties, are expected to become ideal materials for soft tissue repair. These materials can gradually degrade, naturally integrate with human tissues, and easily incorporate drugs or growth factors to promote angiogenesis, thereby enhancing the speed and quality of tissue healing. In general, the common hydrogel patches can be divided into adhesive ones and anti-adhesive ones. Adhesive patches can form rapid and strong covalent bonds with moist tissue to promote tissue regeneration, whose further applications are limited by excessive tissue adhesion. While anti-adhesive patches can address the tissue adhesion problem by hydrophobic surface modification or coarse structure design, they are difficult to fit the wounds tightly for treatment. Hence, it is necessitating to design an anisotropic patch combining the merits of promoting tissue regeneration and anti-adhesive function.

The Solution: Drawing inspiration from nature, interdisciplinary research team engineered a novel hydrogel patch that mimics natural mechanisms using suction cup-like structures for physical, reversible adhesion and covalent bonds for permanent fixation. The patch’s adhesive side uses microstructures that generate negative pressure for temporary adhesion, allowing surgeons to adjust its position during surgery, once aligned, chemical reactions secure a firm, covalent attachment. The other side is made of highly hydrated, anti-adhesive materials to prevent surrounding tissue from sticking undesirably. Additionally, the patch absorbs positively charged inflammatory factors and provides sustained drug release, further aiding in inflammation reduction and tissue regeneration.

The bioinspired system features a multi-functional, dual-sided hydrogel patch composed of polyacrylic acid-NHS for the adhesive surface, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) combined with polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) for the anti-adhesive barrier. Its porous network not only enables physical and chemical adhesion but also captures inflammatory cytokines, fostering a more favourable healing environment. In vivo tests in animal models confirmed the patch’s strong, controllable adhesion, its ability to prevent unwanted tissue adhesion, and its capacity to promote faster, healthier tissue repair.

The Future: This innovative hydrogel patch represents a significant step forward in the field of soft tissue repair. It combines the benefits of promoting tissue regeneration and preventing adhesion into one device. Future research will focus on optimizing the patch’s properties for specific clinical applications, such as abdominal wall defect repair and other dynamic wound management scenarios. The development of advanced manufacturing technologies like 3D bioprinting could also enable the customization of patch geometry for specific anatomical structures. Additionally, the exploration of environmentally adaptive intelligent components could lead to a more precise control of adhesion and drug release that aligns with the tissue regeneration process.

The Impact: This hydrogel patch offers a new paradigm for soft tissue repair with its “revocable” adhesion properties. It has the potential to significantly reduce clinical adhesion scores, effectively reduce inflammation, promote wound healing, and enhance collagen deposition. The successful integration of controllable adhesion and anti-adhesion functions in one patch could revolutionize the way we approach soft tissue repair and adhesion prevention in clinical settings.

Here’s a link to and a citation for the paper,

Bioinspired hydrogel patch with controllable adhesion for soft tissue repair by Wenle Chen, Wenzhao Li, Puxiang Lai, Jian Cai, Lingyu Sun, Yu Wang. Materials Futures, Volume 4, Number 3 Published Date: July 20, 2025 DOI: 10.1088/2752-5724/adec0a © 2025 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd on behalf of the Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory

This paper is open access.

Healing brain cells and tackling neurodegenerative diseases with nanoflowers

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A July 18, 2025 news item on Nanowerk describes research into a new therapeutic approach to neurodegenerative disease,

A study published in Journal of Biological Chemistry (“Neuroprotective properties of transition metal dichalcogenide nanoflowers alleviate acute and chronic neurological conditions linked to mitochondrial dysfunction”) demonstrated that nanoflowers — a type of metallic flower-shaped nanoparticle — can protect and heal brain cells by promoting the health and turnover of mitochondria, the molecular machines responsible for producing most of our cells’ energy.

These findings suggest a promising new approach to neurotherapeutics that targets the underlying mechanisms of diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, rather than just managing symptoms.

The study was conducted by Charles Mitchell, a doctoral student in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, and research specialist Mikhail Matveyenka. Both are members in the lab of Dmitry Kurouski, associate professor and Texas A&M AgriLife Institute for Advancing Health through Agriculture researcher, who supervised the project.

“These nanoflowers look beautiful under a microscope, but what they do inside the cell is even more impressive,” Kurouski said. “By improving the health of brain cells, they help address one of the key drivers of neurodegenerative diseases that have long resisted therapeutic breakthroughs.”

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An August 5, 2025 Texas A&M University news release (also on EurekAlert) by Ashley Vargo,which originated the news item, provides more insight into the research, Note 1: The discrepancy in the dates is likely due to the August 5, 2025 being the second issue of an earlier release; Note 2: Links have been removed,

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Mitochondria At The Heart Of Brain Health

Mitochondria, often called the “powerhouses of the cell,” are responsible for turning food into energy the body can use. However, like any energy system, they produce some waste in the process, including elevated reactive oxygen species — unstable molecules that can damage cells if not properly managed.

To assess the therapeutic potential of nanoflowers, Kurouski’s team, which specializes in neurodegenerative diseases, tested how two nanoflowers affect neurons and supportive brain cells called astrocytes. Within 24 hours of treatment, they saw a dramatic drop in levels of reactive oxygen species, along with signs of improved mitochondrial integrity and quantity.

“Even in healthy cells, some oxidative stress is expected,” Kurouski said. “But the nanoflowers seem to fine-tune the performance of mitochondria, ultimately bringing the levels of their toxic byproducts down to almost nothing.”

Because brain health and mitochondrial function are tightly linked, Kurouski believes protecting mitochondria in brain cells could lead to meaningful improvement in brain function after damage from disease, particularly those like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

“If we can protect or restore mitochondrial health, then we’re not just treating symptoms — we’re addressing the root cause of the damage,” Kurouski said.

Extending The Findings Beyond Cell Cultures

After seeing the effects in individual cells, researchers next evaluated the nanoflowers in Caenorhabditis elegans, a well-established model organism used in neurological research, to test the effects on whole organisms.

Worms treated with one of the nanoflowers survived for days longer than their untreated counterparts, which have a typical lifespan of about 18 days. Those treated also had lower mortality during early life stages, another indication of the nanoflowers’ neuroprotective potential.

Looking forward, Kurouski plans to conduct toxicity and distribution studies in more complex animal models, a key step prior to clinical trials.

A New Path Forward For Neurotherapeutics

Despite decades of research, effective neuroprotective drugs remain elusive. Most therapies for neurodegenerative diseases rely on managing symptoms without addressing the underlying cell damage. However, Kurouski believes that, by directly targeting mitochondrial health and oxidative stress, nanoflowers could offer an innovative new approach to treatment.

His team recently worked with Texas A&M Innovation to file a patent application for the use of nanoflowers in neuroprotective treatments, and it plans to collaborate with the Texas A&M College of Medicine when it’s ready to explore the nanoflowers’ effect further for the treatment of stroke, spinal cord injuries and neurodegenerative diseases.

“We think this could become a new class of therapeutics,” Kurouski said. “We want to make sure it’s safe, effective and has a clear mechanism of action. But based on what we’ve seen so far, there’s incredible potential in nanoflowers.”

Here’s a link to and a citation for the paper,

Neuroprotective properties of transition metal dichalcogenide nanoflowers alleviate acute and chronic neurological conditions linked to mitochondrial dysfunction by Charles L. Mitchell, Mikhail Matveyenka, Dmitry Kurouski. JBC (Journal of Biological Chemistry) Volume 301, Issue 5, May 2025, 108498 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbc.2025.108498 Available online 9 April 2025, Version of Record 9 May 2025

This paper is open access.

Turning marine waste into medical applications

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This 2025 Research Story on the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada website describes work from McGill University to turn marine waste into a bioadhesive, Note: A link has been removed,

An interdisciplinary team of researchers at McGill University has developed an ultra-strong, environmentally friendly medical glue, or bioadhesive, made from marine waste. The discovery has promising applications for wound care, surgeries, drug delivery, wearable devices and medical implants.

“A glue that can close wounds or make something strongly adhere to the skin is critical for many medical interventions,” says Audrey Moores, a chemistry professor at McGill.

A July 31, 2025 McGill University news release, which originated the research story, has more detail to offer, Note: Links have been removed,

“Many existing bioadhesive products are based on toxic compounds, while overall, there is a need to explore new materials that demonstrate both high adhesion and strong fatigue resistance, or the ability to hold even if pulled apart repeatedly,” Moores said.  
 
Moore [sic] and main co-author Jianyu Li, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Canada Research Chair in Tissue Repair and Regeneration reported their findings in “Nanowhisker glues for fatigue-resistant bioadhesion and interfacial functionalization,” published in Nature Communications.  

Naturally sourced nanowhiskers give the glue its strength 

The new bioadhesive is composed of chitosan, a chemically modified form of chitin, the natural building block found in the exoskeletons of shellfish and certain fungi. 

The researchers modified the chitosan to have a nanowhisker shape – a feature that proved to be essential to the bioadhesive’s effectiveness – using a mechanochemical process pioneered by co-authors Moores and Edmond Lam in previous studies.   

 “We chemically manipulate this material to turn it into nanochitosan, which has a range of different properties we can finetune. Using this nanomaterial, we can make nanoglue,” Moores said. 

Ultrasound turns whiskers into interlocking structures 

To apply the nanoglue, researchers use a unique ultrasound technology developed by the Li group to penetrate the skin.  When exposed to sound waves, the nanowhiskers not only adhere firmly to skin but also interlock into a rigid, resilient scaffolding that drastically enhances the glue’s strength and durability. 

“Imagine you have a Band-Aid on your hand. It’s difficult to get it to stay, because your hand moves a lot,” Moores explained.  

“To get it to stick, you need the skin to be permeable to the glue. We used microneedles or ultrasound for that. 

 “We were surprised to see that ultrasound was critical to making a strong glue. While our initial strategy was to get the nanoglue to stick to the skin, we also discovered ultrasounds helped build a complex, interconnected network of our nanostructures. These nanowhisker glues are simply better than the current glues out there.”  

They say the nanostructure has promising applications beyond health care, in many engineering contexts. 

Allergy-safe, and potentially vegan 

The bioadhesive is also fully biocompatible, even for people with seafood allergies. 

“People who are allergic to shellfish are not allergic to chitin, but the proteins. We can remove these in the manufacturing process and avoid allergic reactions.  
 
“We could also theoretically make a vegan version from fungi,” Moores added. 

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This research was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the National Research Council Ocean program, the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the National Institutes of Health of the United States, the Canada Research Chairs Program, the Fonds de Recherche du Québec Nature et Technologies (FRQNT) – Centre for Green Chemistry and Catalysis and McGill University.

For those who like to listen to their science news, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) has an 8 mins. 8 secs. radio segment where researcher Audrey Moores is interviewed by Angelica Montgomery. on Quebec AM.

Here’s a link to and a citation for the paper,

Nanowhisker glues for fatigue-resistant bioadhesion and interfacial functionalization by Shuaibing Jiang, Tony Jin, Tianqin Ning, Zhen Yang, Zhenwei Ma, Ran Huo, Yixun Cheng, Davis Kurdyla, Edmond Lam, Rong Long, Audrey Moores & Jianyu Li. Nature Communications volume 16, Article number: 6826 (2025) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62019-y Published: 24 July 2025

This paper is open access.

Using sound to sculpt light for better displays and imaging

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A July 31, 2025 Stanford University news release (also on EurekAlert) describes a nanodevice that can sculpt light, Note: Links have been removed,

Light can behave in very unexpected ways when you squeeze it into small spaces. In a new paper in the journal Science, Mark Brongersma, a professor of materials science and engineering at Stanford University, and doctoral candidate Skyler Selvin describe the novel way they have used sound to manipulate light that has been confined to gaps only a few nanometers across – allowing the researchers exquisite control over the color and intensity of light mechanically.

The findings could have broad implications in fields ranging from computer and virtual reality displays to 3D holographic imagery, optical communications, and even new ultrafast, light-based neural networks.

The new device is not the first to manipulate light with sound, but it is smaller and potentially more practical and powerful than conventional methods. From an engineering standpoint, acoustic waves are attractive because they can vibrate very fast, billions of times per second. Unfortunately, the atomic displacements produced by acoustic waves are extremely small – about 1,000 times smaller than the wavelength of light. Thus, acousto-optical devices have had to be larger and thicker to amplify sound’s tiny effect – too big for today’s nanoscale world.

“In optics, big equals slow,” Brongersma said. “So, this device’s small scale makes it very fast.”

Simplicity from the start

The new device is deceptively simple. A thin gold mirror is coated with an ultrathin layer of a rubbery silicone-based polymer only a few nanometers thick. The research team could fabricate the silicone layer to desired thicknesses – anywhere between 2 and 10 nanometers. For comparison, the wavelength of light is almost 500 nanometers tip to tail.

The researchers then deposit an array of 100-nanometer gold nanoparticles across the silicone. The nanoparticles float like golden beach balls on an ocean of polymer atop a mirrored sea floor. Light is gathered by the nanoparticles and mirror and focused into the silicone between – shrinking the light to the nanoscale.

To the side, they attach a special kind of ultrasound speaker – an interdigitated transducer, IDT – that sends high-frequency sound waves rippling across the film at nearly a billion times a second. The high‑frequency sound waves (surface acoustic waves, SAWs) surf along the surface of the gold mirror beneath the nanoparticles. The elastic polymer acts like a spring, stretching and compressing as the nanoparticles bob up and down as the sound waves course by.

The researchers then shine light into the system. The light gets squeezed into the oscillating gaps between the gold nanoparticles and the gold film. The gaps change in size by the mere width of a few atoms, but it is enough to produce an outsized effect on the light.

The size of the gaps determines the color of the light resonating from each nanoparticle. The researchers can control the gaps by modulating the acoustic wave and therefore control the color and intensity of each particle.

“In this narrow gap, the light is squeezed so tightly that even the smallest movement significantly affects it,” Selvin said. “We are controlling the light with lengths on the nanometer scale, where typically millimeters have been required to modulate light acoustically.”

Starry, starry sky

When white light is shined from the side and the sound wave is turned on, the result is a series of flickering, multicolored nanoparticles against a black background, like stars twinkling in the night sky. Any light that does not strike a nanoparticle is bounced out of the field of view by the mirror, and only the light that is scattered by the particles is directed outward toward the human eye. Thus, the gold mirror appears black and each gold nanoparticle shines like a star.

The degree of optical modulation caught the researchers off guard. “I was rolling on the floor laughing,” Brongersma said of his reaction when Selvin showed him the results of his first experiments. “I thought it would be a very subtle effect, but I was amazed how much nanometer changes in distance can change the light scattering properties so dramatically.”

The exceptional tunability, small form factor, and efficiency of the new device could transform any number of commercial fields. One can imagine ultrathin video displays, ultra-fast optical communications based on acousto-optics’ high-frequency capabilities, or perhaps new holographic virtual reality headsets that are much smaller than the bulky displays of today, among other applications.

“When we can control the light so effectively and dynamically,” Brongersma said, “we can do everything with light that we could want – holography, beam steering, 3D displays – anything.”

Here’s a link to and a citation for the paper,

Acoustic wave modulation of gap plasmon cavities by Skyler P. Selvin, Majid Esfandyarpour, Anqi Ji, Yan Joe Lee, Colin Yule, Jung-Hwan Song, Mohammad Taghinejad and Mark L. Brongersma. Science 31 Jul 2025 Vol 389, Issue 6759 pp. 516-520 DOI: 10.1126/science.adv1728

This paper is behind a paywall.

The subhead ‘Starry, starry sky’ reminded me of a song by Don McLean, ‘Starry, Starry Night’, a lyrical tribute to Vincent van Gogh and his painting, ‘The Starry Night’. First, ‘Starry, starry sky’,

How the nanoparticles look with and without the surface acoustic wave (SAW) activation. Brongersma compared it to a starry night sky. | Selvin et al., Supplementary Movie 1 from “Acoustic wave modulation of gap plasmon cavities,” Science (2025), ©2025 AAAS; courtesy of the authors [downloaded from https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2025/07/nanoscale-device-control-light-sound-acoustic-waves-imaging-communications]

Next, ‘The Starry Night’,

By Vincent van Gogh – Google Arts & Culture — bgEuwDxel93-Pg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25498286

As for Don McLean’s song ‘Starry, Starry Night’, I leave that to you. In days gone by, I would have embedded a YouTube version of the song but the owners have turned that site into one long commercial occasionally interrupted by content.