IPA spotlights photodynamic therapy’s growth in Türkiye

The International Photodynamic Association gathered clinicians and researchers in Istanbul for its 8th Photodynamic Day, spotlighting new uses for photodynamic therapy and Türkiye’s expanding role in advanced care. The meeting also set the stage for the IPA’s 2027 world congress in Istanbul.

Why it matters: - Photodynamic therapy is moving from a niche approach toward broader clinical use across surgery, infection prevention and other medical fields. - Türkiye is emerging as a larger hub for advanced medical care, with stronger clinical infrastructure and international patient access. - The IPA sees the Istanbul meeting as part of a broader push to accelerate evidence-based adoption of light-based medicine.

What happened: - The International Photodynamic Association held the 8th Photodynamic Day at Acıbadem University in Ataşehir, Istanbul. - Professor Fabienne Dumoulin hosted the meeting, which brought together clinicians, researchers and innovators. - The event focused on emerging applications of photodynamic therapy across multiple medical fields. - Dr. Colin Hopper, President of the IPA, delivered a keynote on global progress in PDT research and the need for collaboration to advance clinical adoption. - Dr. Nicolas Loebel, President and Chief Technology Officer of Ondine Biomedical Inc., gave an invited lecture on antimicrobial photodynamic therapy. - Professor Tayyaba Hasan shared updates from key PDT clinical trials and her laboratory work at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine.

The details: - The conference highlighted Türkiye’s clinical infrastructure, cost-effective delivery models and growing role in photomedicine innovation. - Dr. Loebel said antimicrobial photodynamic therapy could help reduce surgical site and ICU infections. - Dr. Loebel also said the approach could improve patient outcomes, support infection prevention strategies and help address antimicrobial resistance. - Dr. Loebel presented STERIWAVE nasal photodisinfection study results, including updates from the LANTERN Phase 3 pivotal trial, to clinicians in attendance. - Representatives from Acıbadem Healthcare Group attended the presentation. - Professor Hasan is a professor of dermatology at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, and a professor of health sciences and technology at Harvard-MIT. - Professor Dumoulin said the expansion of photodynamic therapy in Türkiye reflects scientific progress and a commitment to patient-centered care. - The IPA said it was founded in 1986 and works to advance photodynamic medicine, including photodynamic therapy, photodynamic disinfection, photoimmunotherapy and photodiagnosis. - The IPA described its Istanbul symposium as a forum for international collaboration, scientific exchange and clinical translation.

Between the lines: - The event signaled that PDT is gaining traction not just as a research topic, but as a practical tool with potential hospital and public health benefits. - Türkiye’s growing medical tourism profile adds commercial and strategic weight to the country’s role in future PDT adoption. - The focus on non-antibiotic infection prevention reflects broader pressure on health systems to find alternatives that can scale without worsening resistance.

What's next: - Türkiye will host the 20th World Congress of the International Photodynamic Association on July 12-16, 2027. - The IPA is likely to use that meeting to further expand international collaboration around clinical research, adoption and commercialization of PDT technologies. - Continued trial updates and hospital use cases will help determine how quickly antimicrobial photodynamic therapy moves into standard care.