biostudies-literatureUnknown11(32)Dhand APLight-mediated manipulation of hydrogel physicochemical properties is attractive for numerous applications, yet the processing of such hydrogels via vat photopolymerization [e.g., digital light processing (DLP)] is challenging as photoresponsive chemistries may be consumed during printing. Here, we report a facile strategy to DLP print hydrogels that combines short light exposures to set the shape of a printed object and complementary dark polymerization to continue the reaction of macromers without disturbing photoresponsive groups. Postprinting, hydrogels are then programmed using single- or multiphoton light and photoinitiator-free reactions: tetrazole-alkene click reaction (for photofunctionalization), dithiolane ring-opening polymerization (for photostiffening), and o-nitrobenzyl cleaScience advanceseadw9262https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12333685biostudies-literatureDigital light processing of photoresponsive and programmable hydrogels.PMC12333685Kirkpatrick BEDhand APMeurer-Zeman BMandal AAnseth KSBowman CNNelson BRLee JSMiksch CECione JBurdick JAGaray-Sarmiento MZlotnick HMfalseDigital light processing of photoresponsive and programmable hydrogels.Light-mediated manipulation of hydrogel physicochemical properties is attractive for numerous applications, yet the processing of such hydrogels via vat photopolymerization [e.g., digital light processing (DLP)] is challenging as photoresponsive chemistries may be consumed during printing. Here, we report a facile strategy to DLP print hydrogels that combines short light exposures to set the shape of a printed object and complementary dark polymerization to continue the reaction of macromers without disturbing photoresponsive groups. Postprinting, hydrogels are then programmed using single- or multiphoton light and photoinitiator-free reactions: tetrazole-alkene click reaction (for photofunctionalization), dithiolane ring-opening polymerization (for photostiffening), and o-nitrobenzyl clea2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Aug2026-05-01T08:49:51.018Z2026-04-07T16:46:26.272ZS-EPMC123336854077963610.1126/sciadv.adw9262