08.24.16
Cytocompatibility studies of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) have been carried out on cell cultures for the first time at the Fraunhofer FEP to test how well OLEDs are tolerated by cells. The results offer promising prospects for the use of OLEDs in the medical field, such as in light therapy. The findings will be published in a white paper titled “Preliminary cytocompatibility studies for encapsulated OLEDs,” and will be presented at the 4th Industry Partners Day of the Fraunhofer FEP in Dresden on Sept. 28, 2016.
Light therapy is a means of promoting the healing of wounds. Difficult and protracted healing processes of the skin, such as are due to chronic and infected wounds, present a challenge for treating physicians and can be positively affected by exposure to light.
Fraunhofer FEP has years of experience researching processes, technologies and applications for flexible OLEDs. In order to be able to employ these area light sources for potential medical applications though, any potential toxic effects caused by the constituent materials must be precluded. No such studies on what is termed the cytocompatibility of flexible OLEDs were known of to date.
Now for the first time, the cytocompatibility of flexible OLED systems has been evaluated in a pilot study.
“Even after electrical operation and exposure to mechanical loading by bending, no toxic substances able to alter cells diffused from the OLEDs,” Dr. Schönfelder, head of the Medical Applications Research Group at Fraunhofer FEP, said.
As a follow-up, studies on the influence of OLED light were conducted using in vitro cell cultures from the skin and the immune system suffering from specified damage. Initial results indicate effects of accelerated auto-recovery that could be the foundation for future therapeutic applications.
Light therapy is a means of promoting the healing of wounds. Difficult and protracted healing processes of the skin, such as are due to chronic and infected wounds, present a challenge for treating physicians and can be positively affected by exposure to light.
Fraunhofer FEP has years of experience researching processes, technologies and applications for flexible OLEDs. In order to be able to employ these area light sources for potential medical applications though, any potential toxic effects caused by the constituent materials must be precluded. No such studies on what is termed the cytocompatibility of flexible OLEDs were known of to date.
Now for the first time, the cytocompatibility of flexible OLED systems has been evaluated in a pilot study.
“Even after electrical operation and exposure to mechanical loading by bending, no toxic substances able to alter cells diffused from the OLEDs,” Dr. Schönfelder, head of the Medical Applications Research Group at Fraunhofer FEP, said.
As a follow-up, studies on the influence of OLED light were conducted using in vitro cell cultures from the skin and the immune system suffering from specified damage. Initial results indicate effects of accelerated auto-recovery that could be the foundation for future therapeutic applications.