New Nanoparticles Enable Low-Power Laser Melanoma Removal

Oregon State University researchers develop a novel nanoparticle platform for minimally invasive photothermal cancer therapy.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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Researchers at Oregon State University have developed a new type of nanoparticle that allows for the removal of melanoma tumors using a low-power laser. The nanoparticles, which are coated with an iron-cobalt shell and loaded with a dye, accumulate in cancerous tissue and heat up when exposed to near-infrared light, destroying the melanoma cells while leaving healthy tissue unharmed. This represents a significant advancement in photothermal therapy for melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.

Why it matters

Conventional photothermal therapy for melanoma has been limited by the need for high-power lasers that can damage healthy skin tissue. The new nanoparticle platform developed at Oregon State overcomes this challenge, enabling a minimally invasive treatment approach that could improve outcomes for melanoma patients.

The details

The nanoparticles are based on gold nanorods coated with an iron-cobalt shell and loaded with a dye that heats up when exposed to near-infrared light. The key innovation is the use of resonance energy transfer, which allows the nanoparticles to heat up quickly under laser exposure far below the safety threshold for maintaining healthy skin. In tests on an aggressive melanoma mouse model, a single treatment using 0.25 watts per square centimeter of laser power completely ablated the tumor.

  • The study was published in February 2026 in the journal Advanced Functional Materials.

The players

Olena Taratula

Associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences at Oregon State University and lead author of the study.

Prem Singh

Postdoctoral researcher in Taratula's lab at Oregon State University and co-author of the study.

Adam Alani

Oregon State University colleague who developed the aggressive melanoma mouse model used in the study.

Oregon State University College of Pharmacy

The institution where the research was conducted.

National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health

One of the funding sources for the research.

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What they’re saying

“The safety limit is 0.33 watts per centimeter squared. When we used 0.25 watts per centimeter squared with our nanoparticles, a single treatment of an aggressive melanoma mouse model, developed in the lab of our OSU colleague Adam Alani, completely ablated the tumor.”

— Olena Taratula, Associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences (Mirage News)

“Many of those cases likely were treated with a surgical procedure that required a big incision and a significant amount of tissue removal to help ensure no cancerous cells were left behind. Photothermal therapy on the other hand is a minimally invasive treatment, and our work establishes resonance energy transfer as a truly transformative strategy for coming up with next-generation photothermal therapy agents.”

— Prem Singh, Postdoctoral researcher (Mirage News)

What’s next

The researchers plan to continue testing the nanoparticle platform in additional animal models and work towards clinical trials to evaluate its safety and efficacy in human patients.

The takeaway

This innovative nanoparticle-based photothermal therapy represents a major advancement in the treatment of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. By enabling the use of low-power lasers, the new platform could provide a minimally invasive alternative to traditional surgical approaches, potentially improving outcomes for melanoma patients.