The brain continues to intrigue scientists across multiple disciplines of science, psychology, and engineering. From simple fascination of understanding emotions, cognition, and the state of mind across the past, present, and future all the way to making sense of our dreams, the brain holds secrets of our inner beings closely guarded by a thick skull. A couple of centuries ago, electrical stimulation of the brain was discovered and led to broad applications in some neurological disorder treatments using electrodes inserted into the brain. However, more recently at the turn of this century, light was introduced as a much more precise tool to enable control of neuronal stimulation. This emerging field known as Optogenetics has become a leading field of studying the intricate details of the complex brain with the precision of a single synapse. Light responsive proteins can be genetically encoded into specific neurons and fired with timely precision. Alternatively, small light sensitive molecules bearing inactive agonists, known as caged-agonists, can be introduced and uncaged, hence activated, upon demand via specific wavelengths of light.<br/><br/>We will present a newly developed rapid process for generating a highly efficient light triggered form of glutamate, the most common neurotransmitter in the brain. The design of two new versions of this light triggered glutamate will also be described. This process to synthesize these light activated tools was also extrapolated for use in light initiated organocatalysis that enabled an in situ generation of an antibacterial compound. We are developing techniques for the introduction of these light activated agonists into genetically modified receptors in live animals. Such molecular tools aid neuroscientists to better understand cognition and memory with steps toward a more precise treatment for neurological disorders, such as, epilepsy, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia.

Light receptive molecules and their precise control of the brain, infections, and more

2019 Spring National Meeting

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