Utveckling av teranostiska ligander mot amyloidsjukdom och bakteriell infektion

Theranostic ligands targeting distinct pathological hallmarks can be utilized for both diagnostics, as well as therapeutics towards distinct diseases.

In the proposed project, a new generation of chemically defined thiophene-based ligands that targets pathological hallmarks in amyloid disease and bacterial infection will be developed.

The ligands will be synthesized and screened towards different molecular targets to identify ligands selective for distinct pathological targets.

Ligand-target interaction will be identified due to intrinsic fluorescence properties from the ligand that can be assessed by hyperspectral- and fluorescent lifetime imaging.

Furthermore, the direct therapeutic effects of identified ligands as well as their performance as transporters for known therapeutically effective agents will also be explored.

For the latter, the ligands will be attached to therapeutically active agents, to achieve novel agents exhibiting immune-mediated, pharmacological or light-induced therapeutic effect.

Overall, the proposed project aims at developing theranostic ligands that will aid in studying the pathogenesis of amyloid disease and bacterial infections, as well as potentially enable an accurate clinical diagnosis and treatment of these disorders.

We foresee that this next generation of ligands will be implemented in a variety of applications within life science, as well as in the long run aid in combating major society problems, such as antibiotic resistance and dementia.