Our group focuses on “interdisciplinary research” that involves the design and synthesis of carefully tailored molecules to act as smart MRI and optical probes to target tumours and understand their mechanism. Our research aims to use biologically inspired metal complexes as probes to understand complex biochemical processes in tumours. We are using these bioinspired imaging probes and our chemistry knowledge to image and quantify the reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS), and other mobilities produced via the redox process within the tumor cells. We are working to place these molecules in clinical trials as novel therapeutic or diagnostic agents in the near future.

On the other hand, we are synthesizing a library of architecturally designed bioinspired coordination complexes with interesting structural, spectral, redox, and biological properties. Many of these complexes are demonstrated as synthetic analogues of metalloenzymes or as bioinspired catalysts for activating small molecules such as dioxygen and carbon dioxide. In all our projects, we try to accomplish our objectives through an appropriate combination of design, synthesis, and validation. As a result, the research projects in the group tend to be highly interdisciplinary in nature, involving bioinorganic chemistry, biochemistry, spectroscopy, and multistep organic synthesis. We named our group “Bioinorganic Chemistry and Chemical Biology,” where chemists and biologists work together to address Health issues.