Carissa Lloyd

• Bsc (Hons) Chemistry
• Synthesis of Fluorescent Phosphonium Salts as Imaging Agents of Mitochondrial Dysfunction

Our research group is interested in the design and synthesis of molecules which have not one, but multiple functionalities, which represents a leap forward in the molecular design of new therapeutics. Bodipy phosphonium salts would be expected to exhibit fluorescent properties because of the boron-dipyrromethene backbone – in addition, the positive charge resulting from the phosphonium cation will also attract them to the negative membranes of mitochondria. Dysfunctional mitochondria are associated with diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and cancer, and which results in a change in the mitochondrial membrane potential. Therefore, whether these highly fluorescent probes accumulate in the mitochondria or not can indicate mitochondrial function, and may allow a determination of whether a patient’s drug treatment is effective or not. In this study, new synthetic routes to these valuable probes will be presented.

Funding source: Royal Society of Chemistry

Project Supervisor: Dr Lee Higham