Nanomaterial-genetics enables near-infrared-driven genetically targeted neuromodulation.

Nanomaterial-genetics (NMG) enables receptor-guided, cell-selective near-infrared photothermal neuromodulation using HaloTag-captured AuNP-Ligands, with receptor-negative neurons remaining largely unresponsive.

• Why it matters: Cell-specific targeting is a prerequisite for precise neuroscience applications, yet stimuli-responsive nanomaterials still need more versatile methods to restrict effects to intended cells.
• What they did: Neurons are engineered to express an NMG Receptor with an extracellular HaloTag that captures HaloTag ligand-functionalized gold nanoparticles, enabling localized photothermal activation under NIR irradiation at ultralow nanoparticle doses.
• The result: Receptor-guided targeting reduces nanomaterial-associated cytotoxicity under tested conditions while preserving neuromodulatory efficacy, and supports genetically targeted activation in vitro and in vivo, including transcranial NIR modulation of mouse locomotor behavior.