Biocompatible and biodegradable microlasers that can be injected into the human body

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The goal of InjectableLasers is to make for the first time biocompatible and biodegradable/resorbable microlasers, which could be injected into human body. The lasers proposed here will be made completely out of substances approved for medical use or already present in the human body. The size of the lasers will be in the order of tens of micrometres, small enough to be injected with a standard hypodermic needle into the bloodstream, bodily liquids and tissues without large impact to the host. After few days, weeks or months, depending on the material used, the lasers will be completely degraded and absorbed by the body without any side effects. The gain material will be composed of a nontoxic dye and the lasers will be pumped directly by an external laser or through a biocompatible hydrogel optical fibre. Their operation will be demonstrated both in cell cultures and inside skin tissue. The biocompatible microlasers that will be developed here have a great potential in medical therapies and diagnostics.