Transcript Biophotonics Post-Doctoral Position Available

Juravinski Cancer Centre
Biophotonics Post-Doctoral Position Available
INO (National Optics Institute) is Canada’s
leading center of expertise in applied optics
and photonics. Founded in 1985 as a private,
nonprofit corporation, INO provides contract
R&D to industry and maintains a significant
internal research program.
INO designs and develops innovative solutions
that incorporate the latest advances in optics
and photonics. Our innovations in biophotonics
have found applications in optical
mammography, molecular imaging and
hypoglycaemic monitoring.
The Institute employs 200 people at its
189,500 sq. ft. facility.
JCC (Juravinski Cancer Centre) is one of
Canada’s largest comprehensive cancer
treatment facilities. JCC is affiliated with
McMaster University and is part of Hamilton
Health Sciences - together we are working to
bridge clinical and fundamental cancer
research.
POSITION DESCRIPTION
DESIRED PROFILE
INO and the Juravinski
Cancer Centre/McMaster
University have a joint
project entitled
“Elucidating Reaction
Dynamics of
Photodynamic Therapy
compounds in vivo from
Luminescence Affected by
an External Magnetic
field” for which they seek
a post-doctoral
candidate. The work is
funded by a CIHR grant
and by INO and is an 18
month position.
You hold a Ph.D. in
chemistry, physics,
biochemistry, biophysics
or other related field of
study. Your research
experience must include
at least one of
biomedical optics,
photodynamic therapy
or chemical reaction
kinetics.
JCC conducts scientific research in
photodynamic therapy and related dosimetry,
tissue optics and optical diagnostics,
radiotherapy, as well as the fundamental cell
biology of cancer development and
metastasis. The research group is composed of
more than 50 researchers, graduate students,
post-doctoral fellows and
technical/administrative staff.
Interested applicants should forward their résumés along with a letter of presentation to:
INO, Human Ressources • 2740 Einstein Street • Sainte-Foy, Québec • Canada G1P 4S4 • www.ino.ca
[email protected] • Fax: (418) 657-7009
Juravinski Cancer Centre
Elucidating reaction dynamics of photodynamic
therapy compounds in vivo from luminescence
affected by an external magnetic field
During a photodynamic therapy treatment (PDT), the physico- and bio-chemical behavior of photosensitive
agents may be quite variable. The effects of photobleaching, limited oxygen supply to cancerous tissues
along with the hydrophobicity and protein binding characteristics of a photosensitiser (PS) can limit the
effectiveness of photodynamic treatment. Since PS bio-uptake and chemistry affects treatment efficacy,
optimal drug formulation, and light dosing must be optimized. Unfortunately, researchers involved in
developing new PDT compounds often have no real time and direct way of knowing how well a drug
performs in vivo. Presently, one determines the effectiveness of the drug by evaluating the changes in
tumor size, and measure the extent of cell apoptosis and immune response with analytical bioassays.
In literature pertaining to the effect of magnetic fields on chemical kinetics, it is known that radical ion
pairs, neutral radicals and the potential energy surfaces of triplet-triplet annihilation reactions may be
affected by an external magnetic field. Particular references to the effect of magnetic fields on planar
metallophthalocyanine compounds, a group which includes PDT compounds, can also be found. We propose
to use a variable magnetic field to affect the reaction dynamics of photoreactive compounds in vivo. The
concomitant perturbations in luminescent emissions (fluorescence and phosphorescence) should arise
mainly from the production of radicals and triplet exciplexes produced in the reaction pathways.
By measuring the differences in fluorescence and phosphorescence lifetimes and properly calibrating this
with the cell death fraction, it may be possible to determine singlet oxygen production rate. This, in turn,
would indicate PDT efficacy. It may also be possible to describe local chemical tissue environments via the
magnetic field strength.
As most biologically interesting PS compounds share a common chemical structure and follow similar
reaction pathways, it is conceivable that a device based on the technology discussed above could be
employed for monitoring a wide variety of photodynamic applications. The use of variable magnetic fields
to induce changes in time-resolved luminescence characteristics of PS compound during photodynamic
therapy may allow not only pharmaceutical companies to better understand the pharmacokinetic behavior
of drugs in development but allow for real time assessment of therapeutic treatment.
As a post-doctoral researcher, you would design, build and characterise the frequency domain system
used to measure changes in fluorescence and phosphoresence lifetimes. You would carry out the
necessary experiments using PDT agents in cellular suspension media. It is expected that the work
would be published in peer-reviewed journals and conferences.
Interested applicants should forward their résumés along with a letter of presentation to:
INO, Human Ressources • 2740 Einstein Street • Sainte-Foy, Québec • Canada G1P 4S4 • www.ino.ca
[email protected] • Fax: (418) 657-7009