Lighting up biotherapeutics

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Over the last decade, several antibody-based biotherapeutics have been developed for treatment of cancer. These antibodies, often marketed as "targeted therapeutics", bind to cell surface receptors on cancer cells and direct them towards apoptosis (programmed cell death). However, the same cell surface receptors are also present on healthy cells, leading to severe side effects. If the binding of antibody to its antigen could be activated at the site of cancer cells, it would reduce the side effects of antibody-based therapeutics. The long-term goal of this project is to develop antibodies that can be activated by light at the site of cancer cells, thereby reducing the side effects of therapeutic antibodies.