Guosong Hong
2025 Materials Research Prize for Young Investigators
Guosong Hong is Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Stanford University. His research lies at the interface of materials chemistry, bioelectronics, and neuroscience, where he develops new material platforms that enable minimally invasive interaction with living systems. By overcoming fundamental limitations in light and energy delivery to biological tissue, his work has opened new directions in neuromodulation, optogenetics, and in vivo imaging.
Biography
Prof. Hong received his B.S. in Chemistry from Peking University and his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Stanford University. He completed postdoctoral research at Harvard University as an NIH Pathway to Independence Fellow before joining the faculty at Stanford in 2018. He also holds an appointment at the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute.
Since starting his independent career, Hong has established an internationally recognized research program at the intersection of materials science and neuroscience. His achievements have been recognized by numerous honors, including the MIT Technology Review “35 Innovators Under 35” Award, the Science & PINS Prize for Neuromodulation, an NSF CAREER Award, the Rita Allen Scholars Award, and the Camille Dreyfus Teacher–Scholar Award. He has also been named a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher.
Hong is deeply committed to education and mentorship. He is a recipient of Stanford University’s Walter J. Gores Award for Excellence in Teaching, the university’s highest teaching honor, and is widely recognized for creating engaging and interdisciplinary learning environments. He is a frequent invited speaker at leading universities and international conferences.
Research Summary
The research of Prof. Hong focuses on the design of functional materials that enable wireless and noninvasive control of biological systems. A key aspect of his work is the development of materials that convert deeply penetrating physical stimuli, such as ultrasound or near-infrared light, into localized optical or thermal signals in living tissue.
Hong’s group pioneered circulation-delivered nanoscopic light sources based on biomineral-inspired mechanoluminescent and persistent luminescent materials. These materials can be systemically administered and remotely activated by ultrasound, enabling optogenetic neuromodulation and deep-brain imaging without implanted optical hardware.
In parallel, his laboratory developed macromolecular infrared nanotransducers that enable implant-free neuromodulation using tissue-penetrant near-infrared light. By engineering the electronic structure of semiconducting polymers, this approach provides a scalable alternative to conventional device-based neural interfaces.
More recently, Hong introduced a chemical strategy to reversibly render living tissues optically transparent by matching refractive indices using strongly absorbing molecules. This work substantially enhances optical imaging depth in vivo and establishes a new framework for controlling light scattering in biological systems.
Together, Prof. Hong’s contributions exemplify the innovative use of materials chemistry to address fundamental challenges in neuroscience and biomedical imaging, aligning closely with the vision of the ETH Department of Materials Young Investigator Award.