Research & Publications

Plasmonic photochemistry

Metallic nanoparticles act as nanoscale antennas that amplify and concentrate light in their vicinity. Our research group specializes in harnessing these unique optical properties to enhance and control photochemical processes. To achieve this, we engineer innovative metallic nanoparticle hybrid systems and investigate how their structure, composition, and plasmonic behavior influence light-driven reactivity. We then apply these nanomaterials toward photochemical and antimicrobial applications.

Singlet Oxygen

Singlet oxygen is an excited state of molecular oxygen generated through photosensitization. Due to its short lifetime and highly reactive nature, singlet oxygen acts locally at the site of production, making it an effective tool for targeted antimicrobial applications against pathogens ranging from viruses to bacteria. Our group is interested in harnessing singlet oxygen to address antimicrobial resistance through the development and optimization of new photosensitizers, as well as strategies to enhance singlet oxygen generation and efficacy.

Excited-state modulation

Our research group is interested in understanding and controlling excited-state pathways through unconventional approaches to triplet-state access. Using polymer-based systems, we investigate how polymer composition, thickness, and the incorporation of plasticizers or antiplasticizers influence excited-state behavior and relaxation processes. By establishing fundamental structure–property relationships, our goal is to develop design principles that enable the rational tuning of excited-state dynamics, reducing reliance on trial-and-error approaches in photochemical material design.

publications

Mechanisms of lysophosphatidylcholine-induced demyelination: A primary lipid disrupting myelino

Glia, 2018, 66(2), 327-347. For decades lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC, lysolecithin) has been used to induce demyelination, without a clear understanding of its mechanisms. LPC is an endogenous lysophospholipid so it may cause demyelination in certain diseases. We investigated whether known receptor systems, inflammation or nonspecific lipid disruption mediates LPC-demyelination in mice. We found that LPC nonspecifically disrupted myelin lipids. LPC integrated into cellular me

Water-Soluble Phosphaviologens for Effective Photoinduced Charge Separation

Organometallics, 2017, 36(14), 2685-2691 Two highly water-soluble phosphaviologens were synthesized via effective protocols requiring as little as two steps and only minimal purification. The new species were purposefully designed for potential application in photocatalysis as a binary system in conjunction with titanium dioxide (anatase). To this end, the efficacy of the new materials for effective charge separation was investigated via photodegradation of methylene blue. In

Comparison of free-radical inhibiting antioxidant properties of carvedilol and its phenolic met

MedChemComm, 2017, 8, 606-615 Carvedilol is a widely prescribed drug for the treatment of heart failure and the prevention of associated ventricular arrhythmias. It has also been reported to function as a biological antioxidant via hydrogen atom transfer from its carbazole N–H moiety to chain-propagating radicals. Metabolites of the drug include phenolic derivatives, such as 3-hydroxy-, 4′-hydroxy- and 5′-hydroxycarvedilol, which are also potential antioxidants. A comparison

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