Light-activated local numbing and dissolvable surgical glue
Light triggered materials for on-demand local anesthesia and tissue adhesive dissolution
This work aims to create materials that let patients or clinicians turn local numbness on and off with light and dissolve surgical glue when needed.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11300938 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are designing polymers that hold local anesthetic drugs until a light source releases them on demand, using LEDs or lasers that a patient or clinician could control. The team will synthesize and test these light-responsive drug–polymer conjugates in the lab to show they release medicine only when exposed to light. In the next phase they will apply the same light-trigger idea to make tissue adhesives that can be repositioned or dissolved after placement. The project focuses on materials chemistry, safety, and controlled release behavior to prepare for future testing in medical settings.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with localized acute or chronic pain or patients undergoing procedures that use tissue adhesives would be the most likely candidates for this approach.
Not a fit: Those with widespread or systemic pain conditions, deep nerve pain, or allergies to the material components are unlikely to benefit from these local, light-activated approaches.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could offer precise, on-demand pain relief without systemic opioid exposure and let surgeons remove or reposition surgical glue when necessary.
How similar studies have performed: Photorelease and light-triggered drug systems have shown promise in laboratory and animal studies, but this specific on-demand local anesthesia and dissolvable-glue approach is still largely experimental.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhang, Wei — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Zhang, Wei
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.