Polymer-inorganic hybrid nanoparticles can con- vert external stimuli such as light or magnetic field into heat, triggering drug release. (Image: A. Nikolet ić , Department of Chemistry and SNI, University of Basel and FHNW) Reaction due to heat As part of a doctoral dissertation at the SNI PhD School, re- searchers from the FHNW School of Life Sciences and the University of Basel have analyzed a new carrier system for active substances that promises to release drugs in a targeted and controlled manner within the body. This work focused on polymers that undergo changes at slightly elevated tempera- tures, combined with inorganic nanoparticles that convert ex- ternal stimuli such as light or magnetic fields into heat, allow- ing precise control over the spatial and temporal release of active substances. These systems can be used not only for ther- apy but also for imaging. This makes them particularly inter- esting for the treatment of complex diseases, as the researchers conclude in the journal Helvetica. Original publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ hlca.202400193 26 SNI Annual Report 2025