Bioimaging, Bioconjugation, Structural Studies and Therapeutic Applications Involving Small Molecules, Peptides and Oligonucleotides

The group aims to develop novel chemical tools based on small compounds and biomolecules (peptides, oligonucleotides, etc.) for bioimaging, structural studies and therapy applications. In particular, the group members research presently focuses on the following topics:

– Development of novel targeted delivery strategies for anticancer drugs based on peptide conjugates and polymeric nanocarriers.

– Synthesis and bioimaging applications of coumarin-based COUPY fluorophores with absorption and emission in the optical window of biological tissues. Synthesis of ligand-targeted COUPY dyes for fluorescence-guided surgery.

– Development of novel coumarin-based caging groups for photopharmacology applications.

– New photosensitizers based on metal complexes for the treatment of highly aggressive hypoxic tumors with photodynamic therapy (PDT).

– Biophysical and structural studies of non-canonical nucleic acids motifs. Isolated motifs and interfaces with other structural elements.

– Studies on chemically modified nucleic acids and the impact of modifications in the structure.

– Design and synthesis of mutilfunctional oligonucleotide-based tools to overcome drug-resistance in cancer

– Design and synthesis of modified nucleosides as building blocks for novel multifunctional oligonucleotide-based constructs of therapeutic potential.

– Development of new delivery systems for the selective delivery of oligonucleotide-based drugs to the tumor