Muntifunctional platform based on luminescent rare earth fluoride, oxide and silicates for Photonics and Theranostic Applications

• Grant number: 23/03092-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: June 01, 2023
• End date: May 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Inorganic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Rogéria Rocha Gonçalves
• Grantee: Luiz Fernando dos Santos
• Supervisor: Philippe François Goldner
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: ParisTech, France
• Associated to the scholarship: 20/04157-5 - Multifunctional Plataform based on luminescent rare earth fluoride and oxide for Theranostics, BP.DR

Abstract

The use of nanotechnology in the development of advanced luminescent materials for worldwide strategic application areas, such as health, has arisen great interest of the scientific community. Based on that, this project has as its focus the development of nanocarriers containing multifunctional luminescent nanoparticles associated to ruthenium coordination compounds for application in theranostics, more precisely for bioimaging and singlet oxygen photogeneration, as an adjuvant treatment strategy for neoplasms and neurodegenerative diseases. The aim of this project is to focus on the synthesis of nano and microstructured luminescent particles based on fluorides, silicates and oxide doped with rare earth ions (RE3+), specifically Eu3+, Nd3+, and co-doped with Er3+/Yb3+ for application in Biophotonics, as optical markers and energy converters in biological systems. The systematic study will be carried out aiming at the morphological control (with lasting dimension and morphology) and structural control (crystalline, vibrational and electronic structure) and its relation with the luminescent properties for application in Biophotonics. Hydrothermal and homogeneous precipitation will be used as the main synthesis technique for these materials, aiming at optimizing the synthesis parameters in order to obtain a spherical particle with uniformly distributed dimensions and morphology. Luminescent properties will be explored both in the visible, UV-Vis or in the near infrared (NIR) region, in addition to infrared emission. Particle size control will be of paramount importance for different applications. A coating on the luminescent particles surface will be performed aiming at greater biocompatibility, incorporation of ruthenium complexes and photoactive molecules, and their placement in nanocarriers for controlled delivery in specific cells. The ruthenium complexes will be synthesized and selected according to their singlet oxygen quantum yield for phototherapy and to their luminescent properties for photo diagnosis. The possibility of technological application as photoactivated systems for photodynamic therapy and photo diagnosis, as well as optical markers (in the visible, and near-infrared region-NIR) under excitation at transparent biological windows will be explored from the analysis and optimization of their properties. (AU)