HealthAugust 16, 2026

photoimmunotherapy

FOH-toh-im-yoo-no-THER-uh-pee

Definition

A medical treatment technique that uses light-sensitive compounds, often attached to antibodies, which are activated by specific wavelengths of light to target and destroy cells or pathogens.

Etymology

The word is a hybrid of the Greek 'phōt-' meaning light, the Latin 'immunis' meaning exempt or free from, and the Greek 'therapeia' meaning healing or medical treatment.

In the news

The article explains that researchers adapted near-infrared photoimmunotherapy—a method originally designed for cancer treatment—to selectively destroy harmful bacteria in the mouth while sparing healthy oral tissues.

New Treatment Targets Gum Disease Without Killing Good Bacteria

Read the full article ↗

SciTechDaily

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