Systems and methods of inducing large-scale optical transfection and generation of an immune response in target cells are presented. In preferred aspects large-scale optofection uses nanoparticles with target specific affinity moieties to generate cavitation events proximal to the cell membrane of cells to which the nanoparticles are attached, and suspended and/or dissolved cargo is so provided access into the cell. Notably, cells can be transfected in very large quantities at high viability, with the transfected cells exhibiting up-regulated immune responses.
