Recently, the research team of Prof. Zhang Fan with the College of Energy Materials and Chemistry of IMU(CEMC）has published an article in the international top journal for review articles in chemistry-Chemical Reviews. The article is titled “Nanocrystals for Deep-Tissue In Vivo Luminescence Imaging in the Near-Infrared Region”(URL of the article: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00506). Chemical Reviews was launched by American Chemical Society in 1924 and is recognized as one of the most academically influential journals in the international chemistry field. In 2023, its effect factor is 62.1. Research Fellow Yang Yang with CEMC who has joined IMU under Steed Program of the university and Associate Research Fellow Jiang Qungying with CEMC who has joined IMU under Talent Program of the university are co-first authors of the article and Prof. Zhang Fan is the corresponding author of the article. IMU is the institution the first authors are with.

In vivo imaging technologies have emerged as a powerful tool for both fundamental research and clinical practice. In this review, the interactions between light and biological tissues, as well as the advantages of NIR light for in vivo luminescence imaging, are initially elaborated. Subsequently, the authors sum up in detail the design strategies of NIR nanocrystal and its latest developments in in vivo luminescent imaging technologies. Finally, the authors sketch out the challenges and prospects for future clinical translation of NIR nanocrystal-based in vivo imaging technologies to boost the fundamental research and clinical practice of NIR in vivo imaging technologies.

In recent years, in vivo luminescent imaging technologies have been developing and innovating, which is helpful to deeply understand the biological system. As the subcategory of the research of in vivo imaging, the research in NIR nanocrystal has greatly driven the development of in vivo luminescent imaging technologies. This review comprehensively sketches out, for the first time, NIR nanocrystal probes applied in different modalities for in vivo luminescence imaging and elaborates on how to achieve high-contrast imaging of deep-tissue by optimizing the photophysical properties of nanocrystals, such as wave length, brightness, Stokes shift, luminescence lifetime, targeting ability or activatable properties. The review provides a theoretical support for the research and development in the related fields and plays an important role of reference and guidance in the subsequent research of NIR in vivo luminescent imaging carried out by the scholars at home and abroad.