The Basic Science section of the PDT school addressed the photochemical requirements for photosensitizers and the translated and future approaches for light (Photon) delivery. Particularities for the execution of in vitro and in vivo PDT experiments will be discussed.

We aim to demonstrate PDT delivery for various indications, including surface, interstitial, and trans-endoscope. This will be a hands-on session for novices in PDT. However, we are also seeking clinicians with experience in PDT delivery to Brainstrom on impediments for massive translation.

The upper aerodigestive tract accommodates specific challenges to both the scientific-technical aspects and the endoscopic-medical approaches for fluorescence-assisted and photodynamic procedures. Focusing on the translational and clinical point of view, different procedures and combinations will be presented.

To overcome the shallow penetration in tissue of the light required to induce PDT, various strategies are being investigated. This session will focus on alternative sources to visible light that can activate the PDT process regardless of the depth of the tumor

The work presented in this session includes papers on PDT dosimetry in both interstitial and superficial applications. In addition to light-based dosimetry, other approaches in monitoring PDT delivery are considered. Applications in interstitial PDT will be discussed

PDT is known to lead to a localized inflammatory response that can activate the immune system to further support local tumor destruction. In addition, an adaptive immune response can be triggered, leading to systemic effects that can destroy distant lesions and potentially protect from recurrences. This session will discuss recent studies in which immunomodulation is assessed, either by PDT alone, or in combination with immunomodulatory therapies.

For many years, PDT is expected to be a breakthrough in the treatment of malignant glioma as a tumor cell-selective, less invasive therapy for the infiltrated functional brain area. This session entitled “Intracranial PDT: PDT treatment of Brain Tumors » will update new developments and report the last results of clinical studies.

Antimicrobial PDT is attracting great interest for its potential to respond to the emerging threat of antibiotic resistance. The selected talks provide an excellent representation of the current advances in several areas key for the success of this collective endeavour: novel light sources and light-delivery protocols, novel natural and synthetic photodynamic agents, anti-biofim strategies, and new mechanistic insights.

Development and characterization of photosensitizers are important to extend the range of applications of PDT. In addition, targeting specific biological molecules should offer novel approaches to augment PDT efficacy. This session will cover topics from photosensitizer design to drug delivery and the possibility of combined therapy with immunotherapy and other therapies.

PDT is widely used in dermatology. In this session, we present the clinical application of PDT in some refractory diseases, including precancerous skin lesions and HPV associated diseases and cancer. There are also studies on the mechanism of PDT activating immune response in treatment of these diseases. We also discuss the adverse reaction of PDT for skin diseases and explore the application of a novel photosensitizer.

The availability of oxygen during PDT is essential for the induction of phototoxicity. However, hypoxic conditions are often found and involved in tumor development. During PDT, oxygen is also consumed, leading to local hypoxia. Under those conditions, alternatives to TypI/TypII reactions could improve PDT. Within this session, different approaches, leading to novel drugs and techniques, enabling oxygen imaging (for example PLIM) as well as rearranging PDT mechanisms will be discussed.

8 presentations will be included in the section for clinical experience and case reports II. Firstly, the Munich experiences for interstitial and intraluminal PDT will be summarized. Moreover, the clinical treatment cases for actinic keratosis, port-wine stains, esophageal precancerous, and cancer by utilizing PDT will be presented. In addition, the targeted photo-nanomedicines for desmoplasia will be discussed.