麻豆淫院

In a breakthrough that could significantly improve medical imaging techniques used to detect cancer and monitor treatments, SMU researchers have solved a decades-long puzzle about why certain light-producing molecules glow brighter in thicker solutions.

The study, in Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry, focuses on chemiluminescent molecules, specifically a type named 1,2-dioxetane. This molecule has the specific structure of a tiny ring made up of two oxygen atoms and two carbon atoms. When that ring breaks into two pieces, the chemical reaction releases energy in the form of light instead of heat.

"Chemiluminescence is actually something people are familiar with," said SMU chemist and Alex Lippert. "Think glow sticks or fireflies, that's chemiluminescence. While 1,2-dioxetanes have been around for a while, no one really understood why they glow brighter and more efficiently than other chemiluminescent molecules. Our work has elucidated key parts of this mechanism."

To understand how the molecules change shape during a reaction, the research team used computer calculations to find specific arrangements needed for optimal light production. They found that when the molecules break apart into two pieces, they need to remain near each other to create bright light. If they drift apart too quickly, the light becomes dim.

The discovery helps explain why some dioxetanes produce bright light in water, with newer compounds achieving nearly 100% efficiency鈥攗nlike earlier versions that only worked in organic solvents and weren't suitable for living tissue. This shows that moving forward, scientists could use 1,2-dioxetanes to track diseases like cancer and see how well treatments are working inside patients.

"The key takeaway from this study is its immense potential to revolutionize diagnostic medicine and biological research through safe, precise and highly sensitive detection techniques," said SMU postdoctoral student Maidileyvis Castro Cabello, who is first author on the study.

"I hope this field continues to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, bringing together chemistry, biology, engineering and medicine, to drive the development of next-generation diagnostic technologies. Chemiluminescence is not just about producing light; it's about illuminating health, advancing science and ultimately, saving lives."

The research was also conducted by graduate student Palanisamy Kandhan, along with SMU computational chemist Peng Tao.