Development of small near-infrared laser system capable of improving immune respo

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The broad and long-term objective of this project is to amplify the effectiveness of vaccines without the use of chemical or biological adjuvants. We will address this objective by demonstrating the feasibility for small laser- based devices to enhance responses to intradermal vaccination. A number of investigators have shown that a promising new way to make vaccines work better is to treat the skin with a brief exposure to a non-harmful laser light and then introduce the vaccine at that skin site. This approach can result in better vaccine responses without the need for chemical adjuvants. Until now, these responses have been generated using large and relatively expensive bench top devices. Recently, low-power, near-infrared (NIR) laser light has also been shown to significantly enhancing vaccine responses. This would make it possible to use small, low-cost NIR laser systems to enhance vaccines that would be practical in the clinical setting. There are currently