Photonic approach to the selective inactivation of viruses with a near-infrared subpicosecond fiber laser

Kong Thon Tsen, Shaw Wei D. Tsen, Q. Fu, Stuart M. Lindsay, Karen Kibler, Bert Jacobs, T. C. Wu, B. Karanam, S. Jagu, Richard B.S. Roden, Chien Fu Hung, Otto F. Sankey, B. Ramakrishna, Juliann G. Kiang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

36 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report a photonic approach for selective inactivation of viruses with a near-infrared subpicosecond laser. We demonstrate that this method can selectively inactivate viral particles ranging from nonpathogenic viruses such as the M13 bacteriophage and the tobacco mosaic virus to pathogenic viruses such as the human papillomavirus and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). At the same time, sensitive materials such as human Jurkat T cells, human red blood cells, and mouse dendritic cells remain unharmed. The laser technology targets the global mechanical properties of the viral protein shell, making it relatively insensitive to the local genetic mutation in the target viruses. As a result, the approach can inactivate both the wild and mutated strains of viruses. This intriguing advantage is particularly important in the treatment of diseases involving rapidly mutating viral species such as HIV. Our photonic approach could be used for the disinfection of viral pathogens in blood products and for the treatment of blood-borne viral diseases in the clinic.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number064042
JournalJournal of biomedical optics
Volume14
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 2009
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Laser applications
  • Laser spectroscopy
  • Lasers in medicine

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Biomaterials
  • Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
  • Biomedical Engineering

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