The predoctoral researcher Maria Tindara Ignazzitto, from the Medicinal Chemistry and Synthesis group, will defend his thesis on 6th February at 10:30h in Aula Eduard Fontseré (Faculty of Physics, University of Barcelona)
Title: Azobenzene-based photoswitchable ligands for light-dependent modulation of β-adrenoceptors: from molecular design to photopharmacological evaluation in cardiac tissue
Supervisors: Xavier Rovira and Xavier Gómez-Santacana
Thesis committee: Maikel Wijtmans, Eduardo Oliver Pérez and Sílvia Pujals
Abstract:
β-adrenoceptors (β-ARs) are class A G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) that play a central role in the regulation of essential physiological functions, thus representing major pharmacological targets for the treatment of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, among others. However, conventional β-AR drugs lack spatial and temporal precision, that may lead to off-target effects. This thesis aimed to achieve light-dependent control of β-adrenoceptors through the development of azobenzene-based photoswitchable ligands, including rational design, chemical synthesis, and both photochemical and photopharmacological evaluation.These results establish the potential of photopharmacology for precise light-dependent activation of β-ARs, providing both a rational framework for ligand design and a toolbox of photoswitchable ligands with diverse photochemical and pharmacological properties. Future directions should focus on improving selectivity and compund properties that enable clinical translation
