Michael R. Hamblin, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Wellman Center for Photomedicine

Massachusetts General Hospital

Research Interests

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a relatively new and exciting approach for treating cancers and other diseases. Photosensitizers (PS) are administered systemically, locally or topically and accumulate in the tumor or other lesion. Illumination with visible (usually red light, frequently from a laser) excites the sensitizer, which in the presence of oxygen, produces cytotoxic or stimulatory effects.

Research areas include

• Photodynamic inactivation of pathogens
• Antimicrobial PDT for localized infections
• PDT-induced anti-tumor immunity
• Macrophage-targeted PDT
• Detection and therapy of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque
• Low level light therapy for healing and biostimulation
• Blue-light therapy for H. pylori infection
• Miscellaneous projects