Synthesis of Nonlinear Optical Dyes for Neurophysiology

了解大脑是如何工作的，是尚未解决的重大科学挑战之一。为了了解神经元网络是如何处理信息的，我们需要一种高灵敏度、高空间分辨率和高时间分辨率的映射神经元电压变化的方法。除了微电极、钙指示剂和激发荧光光谱等测量细胞膜电位变化的成熟方法外，二次谐波显微镜被证明是一种有前途的非侵入性、高灵敏度的工具。本研究项目的目的是开发合适的倍频染料，使其与所需的性能相匹配，从而对外部电场表现出高度的敏感性。基于一种具有倍频活性的卟啉的先导结构，它可以被描述为“推-拉-拉”-生色团，通过改变染料中的几种结构动机(给体、π、受体)来实现。

Understanding how the brain works is one of the great unsolved scientific challenges. In order to learn how neuronal networks process information, we need a way of mapping the voltage changes in neurons, with high sensitivity, high spatial resolution and high temporal resolution. Besides the well established routes for measuring changes in cell membrane potentials, such as microelectrodes, Ca2+ -indicators and excited fluorescence spectroscopy, the Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) – microscopy proves to be a promising non-invasive, high sensitive tool. The aim of this research project is to develop suitable SHG-dyes, which match the required properties so that they exhibit a high sensitivity to an external electrical field. Based on the lead structure of a SHG-active porphyrin, which was recently found as promising candidate for SHG-microscopy and can be described as “Push-π-Pull“- chromophor, this goal will be achieved by varying several structural motives (donor, π, acceptor) in the dye.