Nanostructured Molecular Materials for Photodynamic Therapy and Intracellular Actuation
Seminari del Màster de Química de Materials Aplicada a càrrec de la Prof. Lluïsa Pérez-García (Universitat de Barcelona)
Lloc: Aula Magna Enric Cassassas
Data i hora: 23/10/2026, 12h
Resum (anglès): Nanomedicine offers unprecedented opportunities to design targeted, minimally invasive therapeutic and diagnostic systems. This talk explores the development of advanced nanostructured molecular materials specifically engineered for intracellular sensing, wireless communication, and biomimetic scaffolds. Our research focuses on functionalizing hybrid systems, combining silicon oxide microchips and inorganic nanoparticles with supramolecular architectures and responsive hydrogels. By tailoring their surface chemistry, we develop highly specialized platforms capable of autonomous intracellular tagging and real-time sensing. Crucially, these engineered nanomaterials enable wireless intracellular communication, while supramolecular hydrogels provide dynamic, biocompatible environments for controlled delivery and localized therapeutic action, such as photodynamic therapy. We will discuss the design, characterization, and in vitro performance of these smart materials in cancer cell models. Ultimately, these devices represent a major step toward autonomous, single-cell level platforms for precise cellular manipulation, advanced diagnostics, and theranostics.
Nota biogràfica: Dr. Lluïsa Pérez-García is a Full Professor of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry at the Universitat de Barcelona, where she earned her PhD. Following a postdoc (1992–1994) at the University of Birmingham with Nobel laureate Sir Fraser Stoddart, she pioneered supramolecular chemistry at UB. She also worked at the University of Nottingham (2015–2022) as an Anne McLaren Fellow and Associate Professor. Currently leading research at IN2UB, her work focuses on functionalized nanoparticles, silicon oxide microchips, and supramolecular hydrogels for intracellular sensing and wireless communication. She has published over 180 papers and led numerous international multidisciplinary projects.
