• Research Highlights:

• Photophysical characterization of new organic and inorganic molecules in microheterogeneous environments

We synthesize new biologically compatible organic and inorganic fluorophores, characterize them and apply in host-guest chemistry. Knowledge on binding of compounds to bio-compatible carriers and their subsequent transit followed by release to the target sites need to be known essentially to develop drug delivery. 

• Host-guest interaction and applications in biological environments

The bound guest molecules to corresponding hosts may change the morphology of the latter subsequently generating molecular suprastructures that create provisions for trapping ions. The dynamics of the process is understood using various spectroscopic techniques.

• Synthesis and application of metal nanoparticles and nanoclusters in drug delivery

We synthesize noble metal nanoparticles and nanoclusters and apply them in drug delivery following biological compatibility. The metal nanoclusters show fluorescence signals as opposed to the nanoparticles that makes them usable as bio-markers. Guest-host chemistry can be applied to develop bio-remedies for various physiological malfunctions.

• Carbon nanoparticles in photoinduced energy/electron transfer

Photoinduced electron transfer is a smart concept to learn as this encompasses various applications including energy harvesting devices. We use carbon based nanomaterials, including nanoparticles, nanotubes and nanoplatelets to look into interactions with various energy donating/accepting substances in view of understanding the underlying dynamics.

• Development of crystalline polymorphs for photophysical tuning

New organic compounds are synthesized in this venture through structural engineering and crystals are produced intuitively so that the materials can be used various applications including light guides, OLEDs, room temperature phosphorescent substances, etc.

• Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging (FLIM) and Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS)

These microscopy based techniques are used in our laboratory to justify the positioning of various guests in bio-compatible hosts, such as, lipid vesicles. Entrapment of the fluorescent species withing bilayers alters the inherent photophysics of the guests that are significant to understand before applications to drug delivery.