LEDs play an increasingly vital role in life-science applications

April 6, 2011 - PRLog -- LED lighting technology can enhance our health, serve in rehabilitative therapy, and enable diagnosis of critical life-threatening conditions.

While LEDs are now widely recognized as emerging light sources for general illumination, it turns out that LED lighting can also enable a broad range of life-science-centric applications. A new article in a medical journal has documented that LED lighting can enhance the rehabilitation process for patients that have suffered traumatic brain injury (TBI). LED lighting can improve skin condition and perhaps even provide vital vitamin D.

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) has identified a number of uses for LED lighting in skin-related therapies. "LEDs are significant biologically because they can modify the function of mitochondria within cells, "said dermatologist Murad Alam, chief of the Section of Cutaneous Surgery and Aesthetic Surgery, and associate professor of dermatology, otolaryngology, and surgery at Northwestern University, Chicago. “This can have applications for dermatology, as LEDs may be able to improve wound healing by reducing inflammation, and improve sun-damaged skin by accelerating the growth of new collagen."

Treating brain energy

It also appears self-administered LED-based light therapy can help patients recover from TBI. A new article published in the medical journal Photomedicine and Laser Surgery has documented improvements in two TBI patients that coincided with the light therapy.

The article “Self-administered light therapy may improve cognitive function after traumatic brain injury” may be difficult for anyone lacking a medical background to fully comprehend. But the website Medpage Today has a summary of the article on the LED light therapy that was vetted by a doctor, and that describes the findings simply.

Vitamin D synthesis and cytometry

The recent Strategies in Light Conference also featured a talk by Cary Eskow, the global director of Avnet Electronics’ Light Speed business that focused on emerging applications for ultraviolet (UV) LEDs, including several in the life-science area. According to Eskow, UV light causes the natural production of vitamin D3 in humans. So adding a UV LED in a luminaire could have direct health benefits.

These life science applications have the potential to further expand the demand for LEDs. Even applications for UV or infrared (IR) LEDs that aren’t used in general-lighting applications create a positive synergy for LED makers. In a word, LED lighting will bring much benefit to life.

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