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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/M15217/01
Title: A MODULAR APPROACH TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF FLUORESCENT SENSORS FOR BIOLOGICALLY IMPORTANT MOLECULES
Principal Investigator: James, Professor T
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: School of Chemistry
Organisation: University of Birmingham
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 October 1998 Ends: 01 September 2000 Value (£): 43,838
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Chemical Synthetic Methodology
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
No relevance to Underpinning Sectors
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
This proposal outlines a modular construction strategy for the rapid assembly of fluorescent sensors for molecules of biological interest. It has been shown that by using boronic acid recognition sites a glucose selective fluorescence sensor can be prepared. Recently, at the University of Birmingham, my group has demonstrated that by using two different recognition sites, it is possible to selectively detect D-glucosamine hydrochloride. The sensor compound contains both an azacrown ether and boronic acid group which bind with an ammonium cation and diol of D-glucosamine hydrochloride respectively. This sensor compound shows fluorescent enhancement with D-glucosamine hydrochloride, but no enhancement is observed with D-glucose. This work illustrates the power of the synthetic sensor. Unlike enzymatic systems, selectivity for a particular species can be designed. The aim is to extend this preliminary work on D-glucosamine chloride and develop new fluorescent molecular sensors for other physiologically important molecules. The monitoring of in vivo concentrations of such molecules may be useful in disease diagnostics and in monitoring the cellular distribution of therapeutically useful drugs. The desired approach will require the selection and synthesis of a set of molecular building blocks from which the selective fluorescent sensors can be constructed.
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Organisation Website: http://www.bham.ac.uk