Join us for an afternoon of inspiring talks and networking at the Women in Photochemistry Symposium!

Two internationally renowned experts are coming to Birmingham as part of a Government drive to attract global research talent to the UK.

Achieving precise spatiotemporal modulation of immunostimulatory effects remains a fundamental barrier in tumor immunotherapy, particularly in the context of limited tumor antigen exposure and an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Herein, we present a light-responsive “dynamic nanopatch” platform that addresses these challenges through morphology-directed and interface-programmed immunoactivation. Constructed from crystalline poly(ε-caprolactone) and integrated with photothermal conversion elements, the nanopatch undergoes a near-infrared (NIR)-triggered morphology-dynamic transition from a two-dimensional planar structure to a zero-dimensional spherical counterpart. This dynamic structural transformation enables programmable interactions with the cellular membrane, establishing a versatile nanointerface capable of the in situ regulation of cancer cell membrane integrity. Upon NIR irradiation, the nanopatch stably adheres to the tumor cell surface and initiates a cascade of adhesion, deformation, and internalization events. This process promotes localized mechanical stress and membrane perturbation, enhancing the release of tumor-associated antigens and damage-associated molecular patterns, which collectively initiate potent immunogenic cell death. Subsequent activation of antigen-presenting cells leads to robust adaptive immune engagement and amplified immune cell infiltration within the tumor microenvironment. This morphodynamic nanopatch offers a highly controllable strategy for cancer immunotherapy and a new paradigm for interface-programmed functionalities with broad implications for precision medicine, immunotherapy, and biomaterial engineering.