Near infrared (NIR) signals offer great advantages for biomedical diagnostics compared to visible (Vis) signals. The NIR spectrum covers the wavelength range from around 800 nm to 2500 nm, while the short-wave infrared (SWIR) is typically defined as wavelengths greater than 1000 nm, extending to 3000 nm. Due to lower absorption and scattering in the range between 650 nm to 1350 nm, light can penetrate biological materials, such as tissue, more deeply and signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) are higher. This makes it ideal for in vivo or in vitro sensing and imaging applications. Label-free detection methods like NIR spectroscopy can identify spectral fingerprints of molecules and can even penetrate the skull for brain-functional NIR spectroscopy. However, this technique still faces challenges in being established in clinical practice. Fluorescence imaging and sensing, on the other hand, have been used for a long time, employing fluorophores such as fluorescein (fluorescein isothiocyanate = FITC) and DAPI to visualize cells and proteins. In clinical settings, fluorophores like indocyanine green (ICG) and methylene blue (MB) are commonly used in guided surgery. Once again, the advantages of the NIR region are evident, as low scattering and absorption are accompanied by weak autofluorescence from proteins, amino acids, vitamins, and other biomolecules present in different tissue compartments. For instance, the autofluorescence of blood can serve as a biomarker for various diseases. However, in the context of fluorescence sensing with exogenous fluorophores, it produces an interfering background, lowering the SNR and impairing the limit of detection.