Name: Avik Samanta
Diploma / M.Sc degree: IIT Madras, India
(June 2011)

PhD Project: Photoresponsive Supramolecular Assemblies to Capture and Release Polynucleotide

Abstract of Research Project

One of the important applications of molecular recognition and self-assembly is the transport of DNA and RNA in biological environments. In the past, various cationic amphiphiles, polymers and dendrimers have been developed to transfect DNA and RNA in the form of nanoscale lipoplexes and polyplexes. Amphiphilic cyclodextrins are well-known to form bilayer vesicles in aqueous medium. Such vesicles recognize and bind hydrophobic moieties at the surface of their bilayer membranes in aqueous medium. Based on the photoresponsive interactions of cyclodextrin and azobenzene-spermine conjugate, the self-assembly of a ternary supramolecular system was recently reported to capture and release DNA reversibly under the irradiation of light of two different wavelengths. The goal of the project is to investigate the hierarchical self-assembly of vesicles and DNA by varying the length of both single- and double stranded DNA. The interactions between the host and guest molecules will be investigated by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), optical density measurements at a fixed wavelength λ = 600 nm (OD600), dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta (ζ)-potential, fluorescence spectroscopy and cryo-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM). The advanced step of the project would be to investigate the photo-triggered reversible capture of the polynucleotide using different supramolecular systems such as phospholipids and erythrocyte membranes.



Publications

A. Samanta, B. J. Ravoo
Metal Ion, Light, and Redox Responsive Interaction of Vesicles by a Supramolecular Switch
Chem. Eur. J. 20 (2014), 4966 – 4973.

J. H. Schenkel, A. Samanta, B. J. Ravoo
Self-assembly of soft hybrid materials directed by light and magnetic field
Adv. Mater. 26 (2014), 1076-1080.

U. Kauscher, A. Samanta, B. J. Ravoo
Photoresponsive vesicle permeability based on intramolecular host-guest inclusion
Org. Biomol. Chem. 12 (2014), 600-606.

A. Samanta, M. C. A. Stuart, B. J. Ravoo
Photoresponsive Capture and Release of Lectins in Multilamellar Complexes
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 134 (2012), 19909-19914.


Previous Publications

A. K. Ghosh, A. Samanta, P. Bandyopadhyay
Anionic Micelle-induced Fluorescent Sensor Activity Enhancement of Acridine Orange: Mechanism and pH effect
Chem. Phys. Lett. 507 (2011), 162-167.

A. K. Ghosh, A. Samanta, P. Bandyopadhyay
Cu2+-Induced Micellar Charge Selective Fluorescence Response of Acridine Orange: Effect of Micellar Charge, pH and Mechanism
J. Phys. Chem. B 115 (2011), 11823-11830.