Membrane‐Bound Multimodal Plasmonic Transducers for Noninvasive, In Situ Monitoring and Control of CAR T Cells Against Heterogeneous Solid Tumors

M Myeongsoo Kim (Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta Georgia USA) A Ali Zamat (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta Georgia USA) M Melissa Cadena (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta Georgia USA) C Chloé Thiveaud (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta Georgia USA) R Riya Sen (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta Georgia USA) J Jeungyoon Lee (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta Georgia USA) E Elif Kulaksizoglu (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta Georgia USA) S S. Abbey Oliver (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta Georgia USA) D Don VanderLaan (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta Georgia USA) S Sydney Fábrega (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta Georgia USA) Z Zizhen Zha (Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta Georgia USA) K Kelsey P. Kubelick J Jinhwan Kim (Department of Biomedical Engineering University of California Davis Davis California USA) G Gabriel A. Kwong (Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta Georgia USA) S Stanislav Y. Emelianov (Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta Georgia USA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT Noninvasive monitoring and control of CAR T cells against heterogeneous solid tumors remain major challenges in understanding and improving treatment response. To address this, membrane‐bound plasmonic transducers, composed of plasmonically coupled gold nanospheres in an anisotropic framework, were developed for multimodal photoacoustic imaging and localized thermal modulation of CAR T cell activity. These transducers exhibit approximately 90% absorption efficiency and photostability under laser fluences exceeding 20 mJ cm −2 , delivering photoacoustic and thermal responses over multiple lasing cycles. Membrane‐bound transducers on CAR T cells thus enable photoacoustic and thermal responsiveness upon laser excitation without compromising key cellular functions. In heterogeneous HER2‐expressing breast tumor models, longitudinal photoacoustic imaging enabled prospective stratification of tumors based on early T cell trafficking, predicting responders versus nonresponders with high sensitivity and specificity. Moreover, transducer‐mediated thermal modulation of intratumoral CAR T cells engineered with thermogenetic circuits to secrete T cell engagers redirected cytotoxicity toward antigen‐negative tumors, overcoming antigen escape and consequently enhancing therapy. Taken together, we demonstrate a strategy to noninvasively monitor and control CAR T cells against heterogeneous solid tumors via membrane‐bound multimodal transducers.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 1, Issue 1
Published August 19, 2026
ISSN 0935-9648
Publisher Unknown Publisher

Journal Info

Advanced Materials

Unknown Publisher

ISSN: 0935-9648 Physical Sciences

Authors (15)

M

Myeongsoo Kim

Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta Georgia USA

A

Ali Zamat

Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta Georgia USA

M

Melissa Cadena

Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta Georgia USA

C

Chloé Thiveaud

Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta Georgia USA

R

Riya Sen

Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta Georgia USA

J

Jeungyoon Lee

Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta Georgia USA

E

Elif Kulaksizoglu

Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta Georgia USA

S

S. Abbey Oliver

Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta Georgia USA

D

Don VanderLaan

Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta Georgia USA

S

Sydney Fábrega

Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta Georgia USA

Z

Zizhen Zha

Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine Atlanta Georgia USA

K

Kelsey P. Kubelick

J

Jinhwan Kim

Department of Biomedical Engineering University of California Davis Davis California USA

G

Gabriel A. Kwong

Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta Georgia USA

S

Stanislav Y. Emelianov

Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta Georgia USA