Prof. Dr. Cristian A. Strassert
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Photofunctional coordination compounds for multiscale-multimodal bioimaging

 

Photofunctional coordination compounds as multimodal imaging agents.
© Strassert

Chemistry
Molecular imaging
Organometallic synthesis & coordination chemistry
Spectroscopy & photophysics

The Strassert Lab develops coordination compounds that are used for the optical manipulation of structural features and dynamic processes in living systems and as dual probes for high-resolution multimodal imaging, acting simultaneously as contrast agents for electron microscopy and as phosphorescent markers for spatially and temporally resolved luminescence microscopy. Another fundamental aspect under current investigation with tailored NIR (near infrared) absorbers is the optoacoustic labelling and the targeted ROS (reactive oxygen species) response of antibiotic-resistant pathogens and neoplastic cells. In particular, the Strassert Lab is devoted to the development of NIR-absorbing luminescent and photoacoustic labels bridging the gap between high-resolution luminescence-based visualization and deep tissue imaging. In this sense, fine-tuning of photofunctional coordination compounds with exchangeable cationic centres enables the realization of photosensitizers, fluorescent or photoacoustic reporters able to label and to photoinactivate antibiotic resistant bacteria. Moreover, phosphorescent Pt(II) complexes are used to site-specifically decorate biomacromolecules and polymers while providing contrast for high resolution electron microscopy. The resulting orthogonal readouts arising from one single probe are used to track their uptake in living cells via luminescence microscopy, and their localization is refined employing TEM (transmission electron microscopy).

 

 

Prof. Dr. Cristian A. Strassert
© CiM/ Foto: E. Wibberg
Prof. Dr. Cristian A. Strassert
University of Münster - Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry
Center for Nanotechnology
Heisenbergstrasse 11
48149 Münster
T: +49 (0) 251- 83 - 63840
F: +49 (0) 251- 83 - 36002
ca.s@uni-muenster.de

Vita

  • 1996 - 2001: Studies of Pharmacy (Pharmacist, completed), Univ. Buenos Aires
  • 1997 - 2007: Studies of Physical Chemistry (Lic. Chem. Sci., completed), Univ. Buenos Aires
  • 2006: Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry, Univ. Buenos Aires
  • 2015:  Venia Legendi in Inorganic Chemistry, University of Münster
  • Since 2018: Professor for Coordination Chemistry and Molecular Imaging, University of Münster
  • 2016 - 2018: Senoir lecturer (Akademischer Oberrat)
  • 2015 - 2018: Independent reseracher and lecturer (Privat-Dozent), University of Münster
  • 2009 - 2016: Lecturer (Akademischer Rat), University of Münster
  • 2009 - 2015: Independent research group leader (Habilitand), University of Münster
  • 2007 - 2009: Postdoctoral researcher - Center for Nanotechnology, University of Münster, Germany

Selected references

Proetto MT, Sanning J, Peterlechner M, Thunemann M, Stegemann L, Sadegh S, Devor A, Gianneschi NC, Strassert CA. Phosphorescent Pt(II) complexes spatially arrayed in micellar polymeric nanoparticles providing dual readout for multimodal imaging. Chem Commun. 2019; 55: 501

Grüner M, Niemann S, Faust A, Strassert CA. Axially decorated SiIV-phthalocyanines bearing mannose- or ammonium-conjugated siloxanes: Comparative bacterial labelling and photodynamic inactivation. Photochem Photobiol. 2018; 94: 890

Barroso Peña A, Grüner MC, Forbes T, Denz C, Strassert CA. Spatiotemporally Resolved Tracking of Bacterial Responses to ROS-Mediated Damage at the Single-Cell Level with Quantitative Functional Microscopy. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2016; 8: 15046

Galstyan A, Block D, Niemann S, Grüner MC, Abbruzzetti S, Oneto M, Daniliuc CG, Hermann S, Viappiani C, Schäfers M, Löffler B, Strassert CA. Faust A. Labeling and Selective Inactivation of Gram-Positive Bacteria Employing Bimodal Photoprobes with Dual Readouts. Chem Eur J. 2016; 22: 5243

Stegemann L, Schürmann KC, Strassert CA, Grecco HE. Photofunctional surfaces for quantitative fluorescence microscopy: Monitoring the effects of photogenerated reactive oxygen species at single cell level with spatiotemporal resolution. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2015; 7: 5944

Links

Strassert Lab