Prof. Gang Zheng’s lab discovered porphysomes, liposome-like nanoparticles self-assembled from a single porphyrin-lipid building block, which enable the controlled photothermal/photoacoustic and photodynamic/fluorescence properties. Additionally, porphysomes inherently support MRI, PET, SPECT, radionuclide therapy and drug delivery. Since its discovery, the intrinsically theranostic porphysome has trod a path towards the clinic for the past ten years and is now entering its first-in-human use.