PhD thesis supervisor: dr. Antanas Strakšys (apply for recommendation)
Synthesis and study of photoactive hydrogels
The global standard of living is rising, leading to societal development and aging, while new challenges emerge. One such challenge is the fight against chronic wounds, inflammation, and bacterial contamination. These issues are primarily treated with antibiotics, but bacteria develop resistance over time. Significant efforts are being made to discover and synthesize new antibiotics and biologically active substances to combat bacteria. One approach involves using substances that produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as singlet oxygen, which can modify and kill bacteria. However, ROS are often generated by aromatic organic molecules like methylene blue (MB), porphyrin derivatives, and phthalocyanine derivatives, which are cyclic and inert, making them difficult to work with. This study focuses on MB, widely used in medicine for both disease treatment and ROS generation in aqueous solutions. There is evidence that modified MB can also generate ROS. The demand for hydrogels with antibacterial properties is significant, so combining these two aspects could lead to the development of a hydrogel that is both photosensitized and generates ROS, marking an initial step toward studying antibacterial hydrogels.