Research Projects

Photopharmacology has gained interest in medicinal chemistry due to its potential to overcome traditional challenges such as diminished pharmacokinetics, rapid metabolism, and hydrophobicity in drug delivery systems. This project proposes designing a prodrug of Betulinic acid (BA) or other peptide drugs (vancomycin) by tethering a photo-chemo switch for self-assembly and disassembly to control drug activity. The self-assembled drug is expected to show higher drug efficacy, which is kept in dormant prodrug states using photo-chemical sequestration. Photopharmacology uses light to control the bioreactivity of therapeutic molecules, observing target specificity and altering pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic actions. The addition of molecular photo-switches with drugs exhibits non-invasive advantages, reversing structural and other properties, and exhibiting local effects. This project opens a new approach to designing more efficient self-assembled drugs that can be photochemically disassembled for reduced toxicity. The experimental section will include synthesis of different photo-chemo tunable bioisosteres-based natural drug prototypes, formulation of stimuli responsive self-assembled nanostructures and disassembly, study of self-assembly and disassembly to attenuate physicochemical parameters and biological activity, and identification of hit molecules based on in vitro results and mode of action. The proposed project can pave a novel way towards fighting multidrug resistance by phototunable-drug targeting exhibiting more efficacy and lesser toxicity, leading to nano-drug discovery and adding scientific value and originality to this work.