UMass Chan scientists develop technology to give night vision to mammals

Scientists at UMass Chan Medical School have developed technology to give night vision to mammals with a simple injection that contains nanoantennae, allowing the animals to see light beyond the visible spectrum, into the range of infrared light. The vision enhancement is temporary and doesn’t interfere with the animal’s ability to see visible light. The research also opens translational opportunities for exploring neural networks in the brain and assisting with vision repair. Details of the study appear in the journal Cell.

“With this research, we’ve broadly expanded the applications of our nanoparticle technology both in the lab and translationally,” said Gang Han, PhD, associate professor of biochemistry & molecular pharmacology. “These nanoantennae will allow scientists to explore a number of intriguing questions, from how the brain interprets visual signals to helping treat color blindness.”

Read the full article and watch the video in the February 28, 2019, UMass Chan News.