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Development of Nanocrystals as Artificial Mitochondria in Molecular Factories

Research Project
 | 
01.07.2019
 - 30.06.2022

Energy conversion systems are a prerequisite to fuel top-down fabricated molecular factories. Such systems are the power plants of the factory and are thus equivalent to mitochondria in cells. Systems with colloidal nanocrystals at their hearth are very promising in this regard. Artificial photosynthesis, where light is converted in chemical energy, is catalysed by semiconducting nanocrystals. On the other hand, plasmonic nanocrystals can directly convert light into heat, thereby very locally raising the temperature. Such a mechanism is intensely researched for photodynamic therapy of cancer or to catalyse chemical reactions. Current challenges in photodynamic therapy include delivery of the particles to the tumour, a hurdle that is ascribed to poorly controlled surface chemistry. To incorporate nanocrystal based energy conversion systems in complex molecular factories, the toxicity and cost of the currently used semiconductor nanocrystals (cadmium or lead based) or plasmonic nanocrystals (noble metal based) must be tackled and the nanocrystals must be immobilized in the reaction compartments of the solid state platform developed in WP1 of the NCCR Molecular Systems Engineering. The latter requires a double surface functionalization, connecting the surface of both the nanocrystals and the reaction compartment. A limitation in studying the surface functionalization of the reactor compartments, is the challenging characterization of the solid state. However, nanocrystals of a few nanometer in diameter are ideally suited as model systems to study the interaction of organic molecules with metal, oxide or nitride surfaces through solution NMR techniques. The PI has already demonstrated this for carboxylic acid, phosphonic acid and diphosphoric acids ligands on CdSe, HfO 2 and CsPbBr 3 surfaces. Here, we introduce novel plasmonic nanocrystals based on nontoxic and earth abundant titanium nitride (TiN). TiN is often cited as a sustainable replacement for gold, with the additional advantage of displaying activity in the near infra-red. This opens up opportunities for photodynamic therapy of cancer cells using IR light, with deeper penetration in tissue. Furthermore, we functionalize oxide and nitride nanocrystals with tailor-made ligands that have a high binding affinity and tunable functionality. Such ligands facilitate targeted delivery for photodynamic therapy and also make it possible to couple nanocrystals to the reactor compartments.

Funding

Development of Nanocrystals as Artificial Mitochondria in Molecular Factories

NCCR Projekt Leading House Basel (GrantsTool), 07.2019-06.2022 (36)
PI : De Roo, Jonathan,Helmy, Hala.

Members (2)

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Jonathan De Roo

Principal Investigator
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Hala Helmy

Principal Investigator