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Most relevant scientific articles
• aragonés a.C., DarWish n., saletra W.J., Pérez-garCía l., sanz F., PuigMarti-luis J. et al . Highly conductive single-molecule wires with controlled orientation by coordination of metalloporphyrins . Nano Letters . 2014;14(8):4751-4756 .
• izquierDo-serra M., gasCon-Moya M., hirtz J.J., Pittolo s., Poskanzer k.e., Ferrer e. et al . Two-photon neuronal and astrocytic stimulation with azobenzene-based photoswitches . Journal of the American Chemical Socie- ty . 2014;136(24):8693-8701 .
• Pérez-MaDrigal M.M., giannotti M.i., arMelin e., sanz F., aleMan C. Electronic, electric and electrochemical properties of bioactive nanomembranes made of polythiophene:thermoplastic polyurethane . Polymer Che- mistry . 2014;5(4):1248-1257 .
• Pittolo s., góMez-santaCana X., eCkelt k., roVira X., Dalton J., gouDet C. et al . An allosteric modulator to con- trol endogenous G protein-coupled receptors with light . Nature Chemical Biology . 2014 .
• reDonDo-Morata l., giannotti M.i., sanz F . Structural impact of cations on lipid bilayer models: Nanomecha- nical properties by AFM-force spectroscopy . Molecular Membrane Biology . 2014;31(1):17-28 .
Highlights
Institution: Universidad de Barcelona Contact: Facultad de Química . Univ . de Barcelona . Dpto . de Química-Física . C/ Martí i Franqués, 1 . 08028 Barcelona · E-mail: fsanz@ub .edu · Web: http://www .ub .edu/bioelectronano/info/index .htm
Aiming to demonstrate that drugs can display enhanced therapeutic effects and reduced side effects by means of remote regulation of their activity with light, we have published two studies targeting G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs): A photochromic ligand of the adenosine receptor (http://dx .doi .org/10 .1021/bc5003373) and an allosteric modulator of metabotropic glutamate receptor mGlu5 (http://dx .doi .org/10 .1038/nchembio .1612) . The latter displa- yed outstanding advantages in vitro (nanomolar potency in metabotropic glutamate receptor mGlu5, photorespon- sive activity, availability of a large library of active analogue compounds, patent protection pending P8657EP00 / PCT EP13382374) and thus made a robust lead compounds that was tested in the framework of an ERC-Proof-of-concept grant (TheraLight) .
We have also been pioneers in the photoisomerization of azobenzene-based neuronal ligands by illumination with infrared pulsed lasers (“two-photon switching”) (http://dx .doi .org/10 .1021/ja5026326) . This method has the advan- tage of providing extreme (submicron) focusing of the activation volume and thus pushes the limits of therapeutic targeting to the subcellular scale .
During 2014 we have published the first results of the Nanoxen++ CIBER-bbn intramural project (e .g . in vivo testing with small transparent animals), demonstrating the general methodology (http://dx .doi .org/10 .14440/jbm .2014 .29) and the pharmacological importance of a light-regulated drug (http://dx .doi .org/10 .1038/nchembio .1612) .
We have moved towards higher complexity systems within the “nanomechanics of biosystems” . As the understan- ding of membrane organization and functionality improves, it is likely that the mechanisms behind several diseases be better understood, followed by the development of new or improved treatments . We evaluate the influence of different constituent of lipid bilayers into their stability and function, a platform that can be relevant in the evaluation of various molecules of interest in nanomedicine (like potential drugs) or in diagnostics of different pathologies . We have specifically obtained interesting results on the influence of cholesterol and cerebrosides (normally present in bra- in tissue, but accumulated in excess in several neurodegenerative diseases) in the domains formation and the mecha- nical stability in model membranes . In addition, we have been working on the development and characterization of polymeric-based platforms to manipulate and enhance cellular attachment and growth . We used AFM to characterize films/membranes mechanical and electrical properties which influence the interaction with cell membranes (http:// dx .doi .org/10 .1021/am502150q; http://dx .doi .org/10 .1039/C3PY01313H), and to characterize the surface of contact lenses of different materials (http://dx .doi .org/10 .1016/j .colsurfb .2014 .06 .026) .
Last but not least, we have published several review articles in most fields where the laboratory is active .
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