Molecular switching in materials and health science applications

布兰达集团的研究围绕着一个中心主题-结构和功能之间的关系，以及如果可以可逆地改变分子的结构，如何也可以控制其在基于分子的设备中的行为。该小组已经取得了巨大的进展，制备和研究了广泛的光响应和电响应化合物，这些化合物具有“定制”的特性，可以调节和调制。现在的努力旨在将这些“分子开关”集成到重要的应用中。我们的研究计划的一个主要重点将是开发新的光动力学治疗（PDT）策略，用于释放已知的治疗药物。发现新药的昂贵过程的另一种选择是通过仅针对病变细胞的新递送方法来提高现有治疗或实验药物的有效性。如果光活化药物在黑暗中无毒，PDT可以通过使用光触发器在选定的位置激活药物，最大限度地减少全身毒性。我们正在开发前所未有的使用光开关的PDT方法，并与温哥华总医院前列腺中心的研究人员密切合作，以评估我们的策略在靶向前列腺癌细胞和自身免疫性疾病如牛皮癣（T细胞介导的皮肤病），特应性皮炎（湿疹），类风湿性关节炎和肾病综合征中的有效性。另一个项目旨在开发可作为光动力试剂和催化剂并影响化学反应结果的光开关。这是一个相对未开发的领域，可以对化学合成，催化，药物输送和传感产生巨大影响。另外的研究旨在使用光开关来“锁定和释放”热聚合反应，并开发用于选择性主客体络合的光响应性环番。

Research in the Branda group revolves around a central theme - the relationship between structure and function and how, if one can reversibly alter a molecule's structure, one can also control its behaviour in molecule-based devices. The group has made tremendous progress, preparing and studying a wide range of photo- and electroresponsive compounds possessing "made-to-order" properties that can be both tuned and modulated. Efforts are now aimed at integrating these "molecular switches" into important applications. A major focus of our research program will be on developing new photodynamic therapy (PDT) strategies for releasing known therapeutics on command. An alternative to the costly process of discovering new drugs is to improve the effectiveness of existing therapeutics or experimental drugs through novel delivery methods that target only diseased cells. Provided that photoactivated drugs are non-toxic in the dark, PDT can activate a drug at a chosen location by using light triggers, minimizing systemic toxicity. We are developing unprecedented approaches for PDT using photoswitches and are working closely with researchers at Vancouver General Hospital's Prostate Centre to evaluate the effectiveness of our strategies in targeting prostate cancer cells and in autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis (a T-cell mediated skin disorder), atopic dermatitis (eczema), rheumatoid arthritis and nephritic syndrome. Another project aims to develop photoswitches that can act as photodynamic reagents and catalysts and influence the outcome of chemical reactions. This is a relatively unexplored area that can make a tremendous impact on chemical synthesis, catalysis, drug delivery and sensing. Additional research aims to use photoswitches to "lock and release" thermal polymerization reactions, and to develop photoresponsive cyclophanes for selective host-guest complexation.