Luisa de Cola: Supramolecular and hybrid (nano)materials in/for living organism

In this contribution I will discuss how the self-assembly of a Pt(II) complex not only gives rise to a superior imaging probe, but also to the emergence of redox-active features. Once in vivo, the self-assembled Pt(II) complex surprisingly acts as a potent promoter of stem cell proliferation and a modulator of key physiological functions. The assembled luminescent complexes finely tune reactive oxygen species (ROS) response in the transparent freshwater polyp Hydra vulgaris, enhancing the total antioxidant capacity and modulating the expression of key genes involved in antioxidant defenses and cell cycle progression. 

Life can be generated using a combination of hydrogels and silica capsules, able to entrap large biomolecules, algal exometabolites, leads to the development of biomimetic microhabitats that replicate the chemical landscape of healthy reefs and we can grow corals. The constructs enable to enrich reef microhabitats with bioactive molecules from crustose coralline algae enhancing coral settlement over 20-fold compared to controls.