Mechanistic studies of emissive lanthanide complexes for bioactive applications
Lead Research Organisation:
Durham University
Department Name: Chemistry
Abstract
Luminescent molecules can be detected with very high sensitivity, down to levels of detecting single molecules, and continue to replace radioactive labels in many studies in chemistry and the life sciences. These fluorescent entities should be designed to be chemically stable and must resist processes which quench or suppress their fluorescence. They must also be able to localise at the desired target and send information to the observer that signals where they are. addition, new systems are required which emit a longer-lived fluorescent signal which carries information about the nature of the local environment. These responsive probes, may for example, emit light at 2 or three different wavelengths, and the relative intensity of the emitted light at these wavelengths is indicative of the local concentration of selected bioactive species. work sets out to understand how to stop the quenching of the light-emission from carefully engineered complexes of rare earth metals that possess long-lived emission. With highly efficient luminescent complexes to hand, the complexes will be examined for their ability to localise inside living cells. This can be monitored using fluorescence microscopy and complexes will be sought that can not only seek out particular parts of the cell (e.g. the cell nucleus), but can also give encoded information in their fluorescence signal that tells the observer about the local chemical composition of that environment, and how it may change with time and by external perturbation. Ultimately, given the similarity in the chemical nature of these fluorescent probes to related compounds used as contrast agents in Magnetic Resonance Imaging, they may used in vivo, for Optical Imaging or Optical Tomography.
People |
ORCID iD |
David Parker (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Atkinson P
(2006)
A cationic lanthanide complex binds selectively to phosphorylated tyrosine sites, aiding NMR analysis of the phosphorylated insulin receptor peptide fragment.
in Organic & biomolecular chemistry
Kielar F
(2008)
Two-photon microscopy study of the intracellular compartmentalisation of emissive terbium complexes and their oligo-arginine and oligo-guanidinium conjugates.
in Chemical communications (Cambridge, England)
Law GL
(2009)
The mechanism of quenching of the lanthanide excited state for optical probes using sensitised emission.
in Dalton transactions (Cambridge, England : 2003)
Law GL
(2009)
Responsive and reactive terbium complexes with an azaxanthone sensitiser and one naphthyl group: applications in ratiometric oxygen sensing in vitro and in regioselective cell killing.
in Chemical communications (Cambridge, England)
Law GL
(2009)
Responsive and reactive terbium complexes with an azaxanthone sensitiser and one naphthyl group: applications in ratiometric oxygen sensing in vitro and in regioselective cell killing.
in Chemical communications (Cambridge, England)
Montgomery C
(2009)
Emissive and Cell-Permeable 3-Pyridyl- and 3-Pyrazolyl-4-azaxanthone Lanthanide Complexes and Their Behaviour in cellulo
in Helvetica Chimica Acta
Pal R
(2007)
A single component ratiometric pH probe with long wavelength excitation of europium emission
in Chem. Commun.
PĂ„lsson L
(2007)
Two-photon absorption and photoluminescence of europium based emissive probes for bioactive systems
in Dalton Transactions
Description | A simple optical method to measure the amount of uric acid in diverse samples, based on a ratiometric method of analysis |
Exploitation Route | In making urate sensors |
Sectors | Education,Healthcare,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
Description | In developing methods to detect the presence of urate in biological samples |
First Year Of Impact | 2006 |
Sector | Chemicals,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
Impact Types | Societal |
Company Name | FScan Ltd |
Description | Healthcare/Diagnostics: seeking licensing deals and developing commercial opportunities to exploit lanthanide technology for screening and diagnosis. |
Year Established | 2009 |
Impact | Licensing deal agreed with Glide Pharma in July 2014, to develop the use of citrate as a diagnostic marker in cancer. Clinical trial underway with UCLH. |
Website | http://www.fscanltd.com |