Research Projects

The current anticancer therapies primarily target cancer cells, but they are often ineffective in most cases. Cancer is a multi-cellular disorder, and combining two or more treatment modalities can be highly beneficial. A new approach, cyclometalated iridium(III)-based Aggregation Induced Emission (AIE)-active near infra-red (NIR) emissive PS (AIEgen), is proposed for better PDT therapy. This would enable deep penetration of light for photo-activation and overcome drawbacks like aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ). The next generation AIE-based PS could pave the way for simultaneous therapy and diagnosis applications. Combining photodynamic-immunotherapy with AIEgens and a TLR7+8 agonist R848 could significantly improve current treatment strategies.