Announcing a new article publication for BIO Integration journal. In this editorial the authors Hui Liu and Juan Chen from Shanxi Eye Hospital, Taiyuan, China discuss biophotonics in photomedicine.

As a cross-disciplinary field, biophotonics is a natural platform for innovation, e.g. researchers have taken advantages of the recently developed nanostructures in Photomedicine to optimize imaging signals and improve drug delivery efficiency. Active investment in healthcare also contributes to the quick clinical transitions of biophotonic innovations.

However, to genuinely and successfully improve people's lives, many gaps have to be bridged. Horizontally, the gaps are between scientists from different fields to make new fundamental breakthroughs through knowledge merging; vertically, the gaps lie in scientists, engineer medical professionals, and physicists to make innovated, reliable, and practical products.

Learning another field's language is never easy; promoting this learning requires leaders to advocate communication and understanding among experts. Although it is still a relatively young field, with abundant success so far and booming innovations coming along, it is reasonable to expect giant waves of healthcare transformation involving biophotonics to continue for the next few decades.