Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	EP/E038980/1
Title:	Visualising the intracellular environment during normal cell function and photodynamic therapy using advanced imaging techniques
Principal Investigator:	Kuimova, Professor MK
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:	Imperial College London Kings College London University of Oxford
Department:	Chemistry
Organisation:	Imperial College London
Scheme:	Postdoc Research Fellowship
Starts:	01 October 2007	Ends:	30 September 2010	Value (£):	273,717
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Lasers & Optics Medical science & disease
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Healthcare
Related Grants:
Panel History:	Panel Date Panel Name Outcome 09 Feb 2007 LSI Postdoctoral Fellowships Sift Panel 2007 InvitedForInterview
Summary on Grant Application Form
Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is an established method to treat the variety of cancers (particularly lung, head, neck and non-melanoma skin cancer) and for treating the disease known as acute macular degeneration (AMD) which is a main source of legal blindness in old people. It is based on the light activation of the sensitizer molecules preferentially localised in the cancerous tissues, which produce cytotoxic species such as singlet oxygen, which kill surrounding cells in the target areas. For full understanding of PDT mechanism it is crucial to be able to visualise the localisation of both the sensitiser and cytotoxic species within cells. This proposal seeks to use advanced imaging techniques, the combination of fluorescence, Raman and second harmonic generation imaging to visualise individual intracellular events during normal cell function and PDT-induced cell death. We will take advantage of high two-photon absorption (TPA) cross sections of conjugated porphyrin dimers for TPA PDT and TPA intracellular imaging for high image resolution, deeper tissue penetration and precise application of light for the benefit of treatments of diseases such as AMD, where out of focus damage should be minimised. Series of sensitisers would be screened for photophysical properties, cell localisation and PDT action in vitro to reveal the best candidates for in vivo testing. We will combine imaging results for the sensitisers with that of singlet oxygen, the cytotoxic species responsible for cell death, which would provide us with the insight of the PDT mechanism in cellulo. This is an interdisciplinary project involving molecular design, synthesis, photophysics, photochemistry, imaging, spectroscopy and cell biology.
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Further Information:
Organisation Website:	http://www.imperial.ac.uk