Linker molecules convert commercial fluorophores into tailored functional probes during biolabeling

Projektinformationen

BIO-LINKER

ID Finanzhilfevereinbarung: 101069307

DOI

10.3030/101069307

Projekt abgeschlossen

EK-Unterschriftsdatum 23 März 2023

Startdatum 1 Januar 2024

Enddatum 30 Juni 2025

Finanziert unter

• European Research Council (ERC)

Gesamtkosten

Keine Daten

EU-Beitrag

€ 150 000,00

Koordiniert durch

TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAT DORTMUND
Germany

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - BIO-LINKER (Linker molecules convert commercial fluorophores into tailored functional probes during biolabeling)

Berichtszeitraum: 2024-01-01 bis 2025-06-30

Zusammenfassung vom Kontext und den Gesamtzielen des Projekts

Fluorescence techniques are indispensable tools at the heart of basic research, medical diagnostics, cancer research, personalized medicine and drug screening. Their merits are not limited by physical instrumentation (e.g. detectors, light sources, filters etc.), but by the performance and properties of the employed fluorescent probes, i.e. light-absorbing and emitting organic molecules or proteins (both referred to as ‘fluorophores’). All commercially available fluorophores – with a market potential of ~2 billion € per year (annual growth rate of ~8%) – suffer from three fundamental problems: (i) They are dim, undergo fast signal loss and are phototoxic. (ii) For many applications, they additionally require functional properties such as blinking emission1, sensor capabilities or high photostability. (iii) Finally, their use is limited to one specific application.

My lab has developed a solution to these fundamental problems within the context of my ERC starting grant “SM-IMPORT” (2015-2020). In a long-standing collaboration2 with the group of Andreas Herrmann (RWTH Aachen, GER), we established a versatile class of ‘linker’ compounds that allow selective labelling of biological targets in vitro and in vivo with a (commercial) fluorophore, which becomes tuneable in all of its properties via the linker.

In this proof-of-concept grant, I want to explore the potential of our established linker library (Figure 2) for commercial use in biomedicine, industry and academic research.

Arbeit, die ab Beginn des Projekts bis zum Ende des durch den Bericht erfassten Berichtszeitraums geleistet wurde, und die wichtigsten bis dahin erzielten Ergebnisse

The initial part of the action (01/24-08/24) was carried out at LMU Munich before the project was moved to TU Dortmund subsequently. In the first period, the researcher and PI worked on workpackage WP1 (Prior-art-search) WP3 (Assessment of sales strategy) and completed those.

In the final part of the project (09/24-06/25), two researchers worked on Workpackage 2 in Dortmund in collaboration with researchers in Aachen. The workpackage included distribution of available linkers SL1/3 & PL2/5 to academic labs optimization of linker properties according to feedback.

Fortschritte, die über den aktuellen Stand der Technik hinausgehen und voraussichtliche potenzielle Auswirkungen (einschließlich der bis dato erzielten sozioökonomischen Auswirkungen und weiter gefassten gesellschaftlichen Auswirkungen des Projekts)

Further research goals were identified and started after the project that includes new synthesis work for improved functionality of the linkers.