Dalton Lucas / Chemistry & Biochemistry / Faculty Mentor: Sherri McFarland
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) offers a controlled approach to cancer treatment by confining cytotoxicity to tumors and sparing healthy tissue. PDT employs a photosensitizer (PS), light, and oxygen to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) that destroy tumors and tumor vasculature and to induce an antitumor immune response. PDT can be combined with standard therapies or used when such approaches are not effective. Over the past decade, there has been an interest in exploiting the rich photophysical properties of transition metal complexes derived from ruthenium (Ru) to address certain limitations of PDT. Our own TLD1433 is one example that is showing promise in phase II clinical trials for treating non-muscular invasive bladder cancer. Similar to other Ru PSs being explored in the context of phototherapy, TLD1433 is a tris-diimine complex. Its distinguishing and function-determining feature is an imidazo-phenanthroline appended terthienyl unit. Herein, we explore a different Ru scaffold that incorporates tridentate polypyridyl ligands and oligothiophenes. We systematically investigate the effect of the number of thienyl groups on various chemical, biological, and photophysical properties.
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