Ge Shi / Chemistry & Biochemistry / Faculty Mentor: Sherri McFarland
Cancer remains a global health crisis. Tumor hypoxia presents a major challenge in cancer therapy. Hypoxia can disrupt drug uptake and function, and induce other cellular adaptations that render treatment ineffective. In photodynamic therapy (PDT), where light is applied to activate photosensitizers (PSs) in the presence of oxygen, singlet oxygen and other reactive oxygen species (ROS) can be generated via a cascade of photochemical events to damage or kill tumor cells with minimal dark toxicity. Based upon our work on the development of transition metal complexes as photosensitizers for PDT that have the potential to exploit alternate modes of action, we will present our proof-of-concept strategies for achieving in vitro photocytotoxicity in both normoxia and hypoxia with such light-triggered metallodrugs. One of our PSs, TLD1433, is currently in Phase 2 clinical trials (NCT03945162) for treating bladder cancer with PDT. This poster will mainly focus on how PDT effect with our top PSs can be “optimized” with various light parameters such as light wavelength, irradiance, radiant exposure, and light delivery schemes.
Leave a Reply