Journal of Cell Science & Therapy
Open Access
ISSN: 2157-7013
+44 1300 500008
ISSN: 2157-7013
+44 1300 500008
Jan Habdas
University of Silesia, Poland
Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Cell Sci Ther
Since 1903, when a Danish physician Niels Finsen was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology-Medicine for his investigation on applying light as a cure of skin cancer and particularly since 1931, when a German chemist Hans Fischer was awarded the Nobel Prize for his work on haemin synthesis, the interest in synthesis of porphyrins with desired properties and their application in medicine has grown significantly. Additionally, in the second half of the 20th century, photosensitizing properties of porphyrins have been found which combined with the use of laser light and its distribution by fabric optics gave the input for new methods of diagnosis and therapy of cancer. These methods include: Photodynamic Therapy (PDT), Photochemical Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (PACT) and Photodynamic Destroying of Viruses (PDV). Our investigation of using amide, carboxy and phosphono derivatives of meso-tolyl and meso-piridyl porphyrins showed them to be effective photo-sensitizers in the in vitro tests on MEL 45 and SKMEl 188 (human melanoma) causing a decrease in the number of cancer cells up to three-fold. Phosphono derivatives of meso-piridyl porphyrins showed a moderate inhibitory activity towards aminopeptidase-N, which is responsible for tumor cells growth. The in vivo tests on mice manifested some toxic effects which are possible unwanted side effects. A known side effect during human therapy is photosensitivity of patients which lasts from two up to four weeks, during which time the patients need to be kept in dark rooms.
Jan Habdas has received his PhD in 1978 from the University of Silesia, Department of Chemistry, Katowice, Poland. He was a Postdoctoral fellow and a Research Associate at Texas Tech University, Kansas State University and University of Idaho. Since 1990, his main scientific interest has been the synthesis of porphyrins in the aspects of their applications in cancer therapy. He has synthesized a new group of porphyrin derivatives: Phosphono-aminopeptidyl porphyrins. He has published 62 papers in major peer reviewed reputable chemical, biochemical and medical journals; among them 40 are on synthesis of photochemical and medical properties of porphyrins.
Email: tyr19@wp.pl