Research

Research Area:

Organic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Chemical Biology, Polymer/Materials Chemistry

Research Interests:

Our research is focused on design, synthesis, and application of novel multi-functional molecules for sensory and molecular imaging probes as well as molecular electronic materials. The approach to research will be multidisciplinary and involve synthesis, spectroscopic and structural characterization, photophysical studies, and applications for sensory, biological imaging and molecular electronic devices.

(1) Chemosensors

Design, synthesis and chemical/biological applications of novel sensory materials based on mechanism of fluorescence off/on switching and spectral shift of fluorescent molecules (i.e. conjugated polymers, organic dyes, nanoparticles, quantum dots)

(2) Molecular Imaging Materials

Rational Design and synthesis of far red or near-IR molecular imaging probes for diagnostic, therapeutic and biotechnological applications

(3) Photosensitizing Materials for Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)

Design and synthesis of novel PDT agents with increased selectivity and low side-effects

(4) Molecular Electronics Devices

Development and application of molecular electronic device materials such as LEDs, field effect transistors, and photovoltaic devices

Molecular probes for sensing and in vivo imaging

The expression and metabolism of various biomolecules and pH in cellular environment are regulated to maintain homeostasis but in pathophysiologic processes of many diseases, normal condition is changed. Therefore, the visualization and measurement of specific biological targets and dynamic intracellular events in living systems are important for understanding complex biological process and disease progress.

To this end, fluorescence-based technologies are powerful research tools due to their highly sensitive optical transduction modes with the aid of modern fluorescence, confocal and multiple photon microscopes in combination with fluorescence probes.

Our efforts will be directed at developing one-photon and/or two-photon dyes with enhanced optical properties to effectively image in vivo.

Efficient molecular switch mechanisms will be incorporated into dye to provide molecular probes, which are very sensitive to small perturbation that can induce large spectroscopic changes. Based on fluorescence relationship between chemical structure of fluorophore derivatives and their fluorescent properties, functional molecular probes are proposed to detect the metabolism of phosphatase as an example. Phosphorylation and dephosphorylation play important roles in cellular regulation and signaling processes.

Many diseases (cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis) are associated with the abnormal acitivities of phosphatase and/or kinase. The molecular design approach using various activation schemes.