CMCB Life Sciences Seminar: Dr. Oliver Thorn-Seshold, LMU Munich

Host: Stefan Diez (B CUBE)

Title: "From Photocontrolling Cytoskeleton & Channel Function, to Photostabilising Fluorophores for High-Performance Imaging: What Chemistry can do for You"

Abstract:

Small molecule drugs and fluorophores are irreplaceable everyday reagents in biology, to modulate and to image biological processes in action. Both these classes of reagents are continuously being engineered and functionalised for cutting-edge applications. This talk presents ongoing work in our group, in two areas of photoresponsive reagent engineering:

1. Photocontrol in Biology: we are developing photoresponsive tool compounds to control biological processes with second-and-micron scale precision. Particularly, we focus on:

• Microtubule dynamics and architecture, where our photo-tools can non-invasively modulate cell division, migration, and tissue development, in cells and in vivo;                        
• Ion channels, receptors, and membranes, where the unparalleled temporal resolution and biological efficacy that photoswitchable tools can harness is opening up avenues for biophysics, signaling, and neuroscience.

2. High-Performance Imaging: we are improving chromophore scaffolds, aiming to deliver:

• Ultra-photostable fluorophores: for super-resolution and long-term imaging with low phototoxicity and intrinsic quantitative response
• Red/NIR-light protein photocontrol in vivo, by re-imagining classical photoresponsive drug design: e.g. for neuroscience studies, with noninvasive transcranial NIR illumination to control animal behaviour.

Everybody is very welcome!