title: Step-Index Optical Fiber Made of Biocompatible Hydrogels.
abstract: A biocompatible step-index optical fiber made of poly(ethylene glycol) and alginate hydrogels is demonstrated. The fabricated fiber exhibits excellent light-guiding efficiency in biological tissues. Moreover, the core of hydrogel fibers can be easily doped with functional molecules and nanoparticles for localized light emission, sensing, and therapy.
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School and Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 65 Landsdowne St, UP-5, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.|Global Biomedical Engineering Sungkyunkwan University, Center for Neuroscience and Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science, 2066 Seobu-ro, Jangan-Gu, Suwon-Si, Gyeong Gi-Do, South Korea.
authors.forename: Myunghwan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School and Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 65 Landsdowne St, UP-5, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.|Condensed Matter Department, J. Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Matjaž
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Humar
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School and Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 65 Landsdowne St, UP-5, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.|Graduate School of Nanoscience and Technology, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 291 Daehak-Ro, Yusong-Gu, Daejon, 305-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Seonghoon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School and Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 65 Landsdowne St, UP-5, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
authors.forename: Seok-Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Yun
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D003106:Colon; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D020723:Glucuronic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D006603:Hexuronic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D020100:Hydrogels / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D007834:Lasers; D008422:Materials Testing; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D055100:Optical Fibers; D061848:Optical Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation; D010092:Oximetry / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D020100:Hydrogels; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D010100:Oxygen
keywords: biocompatible; hydrogels; implantable; optical fibers; sensing