Organic phototransducer for functional recovery in damaged tissues: the application to vision

Recently we studied the possibility to photostimulate living cells through functional interfaces based on organic semiconductors, polymers or molecules. After a brief review of the work done using thin films, I will describe in more details the recent use of polythiophene nanoparticles that shown the ability to recover visual acuity in lab models affected by the degeneration of photoreceptors according to Retinis Pigmentosa. The Photophysics of the nanoparticles will be presented together with a model of the interface that suggests a possible mechanism of photo-stimulation. As a last development in this research, I will report on the use of photochromic molecules as phototransducers in similar degenerated retina. The mechanism of stimulation will be described, and the recent results in vivo will be reported.