Project title: Design of Optimized photo-sensitizers
Employer: Trinity College of Dublin (TCD, Ireland), Cotutelle: University of Amsterdam (UvA, Netherlands)
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Mathias O. SENGE (TCD), Dr. René WILLIAMS (UvA).
Research secondments: PorphyChem, University of Coimbra, Bioemtech
Practical rotation: Bioemtech
Research project description and main objectives: One ultimate aim of the POLYTHEA project is to develop photosensitizing dyes that can be used in a modular fashion for a variety of biomedical applications within the consortium. This requires an understanding of the fundamental relationship between macrocycle structures, conformation and substitution pattern on the photochemical properties. This project will focus on the design and synthesis of porphyrin-based photosensitizers (PS) with optimized photophysical properties and chemical functionalities suitable for introduction of biological targeting groups and/or for binding to polymeric (nano) carrier materials.
Generally applicable synthetic strategies for unsymmetrically substituted porphyrins, which carry functional groups suitable for subsequent modification will be developed. ABCD-, A2BC- and A2B2-type porphyrins, i.e. porphyrins with meso positions) will be targeted. Depending on the functional groups introduced a modulation of the macrocycle photophysical properties will be achieved through electronic, π-extension, π-modification, and conformational effects on the ring system. They will allow for charge-transfer character (red-shifting the absorption) while a high triplet yield has to be maintained (e.g., by charge recombination to the triplet state). The compounds will be investigated in an interdisciplinary fashion for their spectroscopic and photophysical properties and with regard to their biological up-take.
Publications:
- Z. Melissari, R. M. Williams, M. O. Senge, Porphyrinoids for Photodynamic Therapy, Royal Society of Chemistry, 2021, DOI: 10.1039/9781839164149-00252
- Z. Melissari, H.C. Sample, B. Twamley, R.M. Williams, M.O. Senge, Synthesis and spectral properties of gem-simethyl chlorin photosensitizers, Chemistry Europe, 2020, DOI:10.1002/cptc.202000051
- K.J. Flanagan, M.P. Dominguez, Z. Melissari, H.G Eckhardt, R.M. Williams, D. Gibbons, C. Prior, G.M. Locke, A. Meindi, A.A. Ryan and M.O. Senge, Structural Effects of meso-Halogenation on Porphyrins: meso-Xn-ABCD Macrocycles, Beilstein Archives, 2021, DOI: https://doi.org/10.3762/bxiv.2021.21.v1
Links:
- www.linkedin.com/in/zoi-melissari
- Twitter: @zoi_melissari
- Article for Zoi’s fellowship to attend 2019-ESP-IUPB world congress in Barcelona
- Zoi’s presentation at the World Congress on Light and Life
- Zoi’s poster presentation to the Chain’s conference in Amserdam – December 2019
- Zoi’s covid-19 interview:
- Zoi presented her work to the PDT-PDD Nancy 2020 virtual conference on November 5th, 2020
- Zoi participated to the Research Executive Agency video challenge
- Zoi attended the Irish association for cancer research virtual conference on 24-26 March 21: Poster IACR Zoi Melissari 2021
- Zoi presented at the ASC Fall 2021 meeting
- Zoi presented during TCD’s 3rd year talk
- Zoi gave a talk at NWO CHAINS 2021
