Photo‐control of biological systems with azobenzene polymers

ABSTRACT Azobenzene‐containing polymers offer tremendous advantages and opportunities over other stimuli‐responsive materials to interface with biology. Azobenzene's fast, reversible, and innocuous cis – trans geometrical isomerization can be leveraged into dramatic intra‐ and inter‐molecular changes when incorporated in polymeric materials. Azobenzene use has grown from a colorant, through to optical storage materials, and most recently in a variety of biologically themed applications. This review highlights the broad impact this photo‐switch has had in recent years and offers a snapshot of the research landscape at the interface between photochemistry and biology. From photo‐reversible micelles and peptides to controlled drug release and sensing, the versatility of azobenzene makes it a favored photo‐switch found in many emerging applications. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013, 51, 3058–3070