Pr Luis G. Arnaut



Position:

Professor for the Chemistry Department of the University of Coimbra

Background:

Luis G. Arnaut was educated as photochemist (PhD in the University of Coimbra with Sebastião Formosinho in 1988, post-doc in the University of Texas at Dallas with Richard Caldwell in 1989) and cultivates scientific interests related to the development of laser applications to health and material sciences. In basic sciences, he is interested in diverse subjects such as chemical reactivity and dynamics, the mechanisms of photodynamic therapy, photoacoustics and the mechanism of interaction of ultrasound with tissues.

Author of 15 Books and Book Chapters, ca. 150 articles that collected ca. 5000 citations. Co-inventor of 5 patent families, all licenced to the pharmaceutical industry. Coordinates the BSc and MSc in Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Coimbra, and the FCT PhD program on Medicinal Chemistry (MedChemTrain). Principal investigator of over 20 projects approved in competitive calls opened by the Portuguese Science Foundation, EU, Horizon 2020, European Research Area – Chemistry, and European Science Foundation.

Distinguished with the Gulbenkian Prize for Science (1994), BES Innovation Prize (2008), AVDRI-Santander Prize (2010), INVENTA Prize of the Portuguese Institute for Industrial Property (2011) and ALTEC Prize (2016).

Co-founder of Luzitin SA and member of its Board of Directors. Co-Founder and Chairman of LaserLeap SA. Director of the Coimbra Laserlab, member of the European research infrastructure LaserLab Europe and of the Roteiro of Portuguese strategical infrastructures.

Role in POLYTHEA:

  • Member of the International Advisory Board

Key publication (5 max):

  • Design of Pluronic-based formulation for enhanced redaporfin-photodynamic therapy against pigmented melanoma
    B. Pucelik, L. G. Arnaut, G. Stochel, J. M. Dąbrowski, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 8 (2016) 22039-22055.
  • Phthalocyanine Labels for Near-Infrared Fluorescence Imaging of Solid Tumors
    A.C. S. Lobo, A. D. Silva, V. A. Tomé, S. M. A. Pinto, E. F. F. Silva, M. J. F. Calvete, C. M. F. Gomes, M. M. Pereira, L. G. Arnaut , J. Med. Chem., 59 (2016) 4688-4696.
  • Pro-oxidant and antioxidant effects in Photodynamic Therapy: Cells recognize that not all endogenous ROS are alike
    H. Tão, J. R. S. Campos, L. C. Gomes-da-Silva, F. A. Schaberle, J. M. Dabrowski, L. G. Arnaut, ChemBioChem, 17 (2016) 836-842.
  • Intracellular singlet oxygen photosensitizers: On the road to solving the problems of sensitizer degradation, bleaching and relocalization
    E. F. F. Silva, F. M. Pimenta, B. W. Pedersen, F. H. Blaikie, G. N. Bosio, T. Breitenbach, M. Westberg, M. Bregnhøj, M. Etzerodt, L. G. Arnaut, P. R. Ogilby, Int. Biol., 8 (2016) 177-193.
  • Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) of Cancer:  From a Local to a Systemic Treatment
    J. M. Dabrowski, L. G. Arnaut, Photochem. Photobiol. Sc., 14 (2015) 1765-1780.
  • Elimination of primary tumours and control of metastasis with rationally designed bacteriochlorin photodynamic therapy regimens
    L. B. Rocha, L. C. Gomes-da-Silva, J. M. Dabrowski, L. G. Arnaut, Eur. J. Cancer, 51 (2015) 1822-1830.

Links:

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luis_Arnaut
https://www.uc.pt/en/uid/laserlab/people 

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement n°764837