For organic solar cells: exciton generation, exciton diffusion, charge transfer, and charge transport of a photoactive layer are the important factors in photocurrent generation. In this thesis, we blend small molecular material tris(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum (Alq3) into poly [ 2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene-vinylene ]:short-length carbon nanotubes (MEH-PPV:SLCNTs) films to increase the light absorption, in the range of 300 to 450 nm, and hence increase the exciton generation. The comparison of the photoluminescence (PL) of a donor with that of the Donor-Acceptor composite provides an important and simple method to detect the charge transfer phenomenon. Furthermore, the degree of photoluminescence quenching may be representative of the efficiency of charge transfer. [1-6] Using this concept and method, we obtain that at the mix ratio of 1:0.5 (MEH-PPV:SLCNTs) by weight, 33 wt.% SLCNTs, probably have the maximum of charge transfer efficiency. To further check that at this concentration might have the maximum efficiency of the charge transfer, we also used time-resolved fluorescence spectrometer to measure the fluorescence lifetime of MEH-PPV. The shortest MEH-PPV fluorescence lifetime of 0.15 ns at 33 wt.% SLCNTs corresponds with our conjecture. For simplicity to discuss next experiment results, we make two assumptions at this mix ratio: (1) The efficiency of the charge transfer process is very high, so the competing processes can be neglected. Because of the forward electron transfer process occurs in the sub-picosecond time domain; (2) The exciton diffusion efficiency is approximately unity in the bulk heterojunction photoactive layer. Based on this assumption, the higher degree of photoluminescence quenching of MEH-PPV:Alq3 and MEH-PPV:Alq3:SLCNTs system demonstrates blending alq3 into MEH-PPV:SLCNTs films maybe can increase the charge photogeneration. The PL and UV/VIS absorption spectra are employed to examine the energy transfer process between Alq3 and MEH-PPV. When MEH-PPV:Alq3 films are excited at the wavelength of 380 nm which is in the main absorption region of Alq3, the increase in PL intensity of MEH-PPV at 577nm and the absent emission spectra of Alq3 illustrates Alq3 transfer its energy to MEH-PPV. By scanning electron microscopy, we observed that the surface pinholes became less than that of MEH-PPV films. This result suggests the devices utilizing the MEH-PPV:Alq3 composites as electron donor materials may have smaller electrode contact resistance. From all above the experiment data, we believe using MEH-PPV:Alq3:SLCNT as a photoactive layer perhaps can enhance the device performance.

Solar energy is the foremost power source of our planet. Driving photosynthesis on our planet for 3 billion years the energy stored in the form of fossil fuels also originates from the sun. Consumption of fossil fuels to generate energy is accompanied with CO2 emission which affects the earth's climate in a serious manner. Therefore, alternative ways of converting energy have to be found. Solar cells convert sunlight directly into electricity and are therefore an important technology for future electricity generation. In this work solar cells based on the inorganic semiconductor titanium dioxide and hole-transporting dyes are investigated. These type of solar cells are categorized as hybrid solar cells and are conceptually related to both dye-sensitized solar cells and organic solar cells. Light absorption in the bulk of the hole-transporting dye layer leads to the formation of excitons that can be harvested at the organic/inorganic interface. Two design approaches were investigated: 1) utilizing a multilayer of a hole-transporting dye and 2) utilizing a hole-transporting dye as light harvesting antenna to another dye which is bound to the titanium dioxide surface.  Using a multiple dye layer in titanium dioxide/hole transporting dye devices, leads to an improved device performance as light harvested in the consecutive dye layers can contribute to the photocurrent. In devices using both an inteface-bound dye and a hole-transporting dye, excitation energy can be transferred from the hole-transporting dye to the interface dye.

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a childhood cancer with a highly complex nature. High-risk NB patients undergo intensive treatment regimens that are often followed by long-term side effects. This, in addition to the emergence of resistant cancer cells, highlights a need for novel therapeutic targets and treatment strategies to improve outcome in NB. P21 is a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor considered to play a role in tumor resistance and aggressiveness due to its involvement in cell cycle and/or apoptosis. This project aimed to explore the expression of endogenous p21 in high-risk NB cell lines and whether p21 could be a therapeutic target for high-risk NB. Endogenous p21 levels were investigated using RT-qPCR and quantitative immunocytochemistry in eight high-risk NB cell lines. A small molecular inhibitor of p21, UC2288, was used in these cell lines to investigate tumour cell viability following p21 inhibition. In addition, combination treatment with UC2288 and the chemotherapy drug cisplatin was performed on resistant NB cell lines. Our results show variable expression of p21, where cell lines with high endogenous p21 expression showed sensitivity to single agent treatment with cisplatin or UC2288. Moreover, resistant NB cell lines showed lower endogenous p21 expression, however, combination treatment with UC2288 and cisplatin showed reduced viability, indicating sensitivity to combination treatment. This project highlights the potential of using p21 as a therapeutic target as well as a predictive biomarker in high-risk NB.

Bacterial infections are again becoming difficult to treat because the microbes are growing increasingly resistant to the antibiotics in use today. The need for novel antimicrobial compounds is urgent and to achieve this new targets are crucial. In this thesis we present a strategy for identification of such targets via a bioinformatics approach. In our first study we compared proteins with unknown and hypothetical function of the spirochete Treponema pallidum to five other pathogens also causing chronic or persistent infections in humans (Yersinia pestis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Helicobacter pylori, Borrelia burgdorferi and Streptococcus pneumoniae). T. pallidum was used as a starting point for the comparisons since this organism has a condensed genome (1.1 Mb). As we aimed at identifying conserved proteins important for in vivo survival or virulence of the pathogens we reasoned that T. pallidum would have deleted genes not important in the human host. This comparison yielded 17 ORFs conserved in all six pathogens, these were deleted in our model organism, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, and the virulence of these mutant strains was evaluated in a mouse model of infection. Five genes were found to be essential for virulence and thus constitute possible antimicrobial drug targets. We have studied one of these virulence associated genes (vags), vagH, in more detail. Functional and phenotypic analysis revealed that VagH is an S-adenosyl-methionine dependent methyltransferase targeting Release factor 1 and 2 (RF1 and RF2). The analysis also showed that very few genes and proteins were differentially expressed in the vagH mutant compared to wild-type Yersinia. One major finding was that expression of the Type III secretion system effectors, the Yops, were down regulated in a vagH mutant. We dissected this phenotype further and found that the down regulation was due to lowered amounts of the positive regulator LcrF. This can be suppressed either by a deletion of yopD or by over expression of the Ribosomal Recycling Factor (RRF). These results indicate that YopD in addition to its role in translational regulation of the Yops also plays a part in the regulation of LcrF translation. We suggest also that the translation of LcrF is particularly sensitive to the amount of translation competent ribosomes and that one effect of a vagH mutation in Y. pseudotuberculosis is that the number of free ribosomes is reduced; this in turn reduces the amount of LcrF produced thereby causing a down regulation of the T3SS. This down regulation is likely the cause of the attenuated virulence of the vagH mutant. Finally, we set up a high throughput screening assay to screen a library of small molecules for compounds with inhibiting the VagH methyltransferase activity. Five such compounds were identified and two were found to inhibit VagH also in bacterial culture. Furthermore, analogues to one of the compounds showed improved inhibitory properties and inhibited the T3SS-dependent cytotoxic response induced by Y. pseudotuberculosis on HeLa cells. We have successfully identified five novel targets for antimicrobial compounds and in addition we have discovered a new class of molecules with antimicrobial properties.

Les méthodes de criblage virtuel sont largement utilisées dans le processus de conception de médicaments afin de réduire le nombre de composés à tester expérimentalement. Cependant, les résultats obtenus par criblage virtuel ne sont que des prédictions et leur fiabilité n'est pas garantie. L'évaluation de ces méthodes est donc essentielle pour guider le bioinformaticien dans le choix de l'outil et du protocol adaptés dans les conditions de son expérience. Dans une première étude, nous avons développé une nouvelle métrique pour l'analyse des résultats de criblage : la Courbe de Prédictivité. Cette métrique permet une analyse fine de la pertinence des scores d'affinité pour la détection de composés actifs et complète les métriques existantes, permettant une meilleure compréhension des résultats de criblage. Lors de notre projet suivant, nous avons souhaité faciliter ce processus d'analyse en intégrant l'ensemble des métriques de criblage virtuel dans un outil web interactif : Screening Explorer. Une seconde partie de ma thèse a consisté en la recherche de nouveaux inhibiteurs du VIH (Virus de l’Immunodéficience Humaine). L'équipe génomique de notre laboratoire a identifié plusieurs gènes dont l'expression influence le développement du SIDA, révèlant ainsi de potentielles cibles thérapeutiques. Une étude bibliographique a permis d'identifier plusieurs composés inhibiteurs de ces cibles. La société Peptinov, associée à notre laboratoire, va prochainement estimer le potentiel thérapeutique de ces composés dans des essais in vitro (i) d'infection par le VIH, (ii) de prolifération virale et (iii) de réactivation virale. / Virtual screening methods are widely used in drug discovery processes in order to reduce the number of compounds to test experimentally. However, virtual screening results are only predictions and their reliability is not guaranteed. Evaluating these methods is crucial to guide the bioinformatician in the choice of the right tool and protocol according to the conditions of his experiment. In a first study, we developed a new metric to analyze the results of virtual screening: the Predictiveness Curve. This metric allows to finely analyze the relevance of binding scores for the detection of active compounds and complete existing metrics, allowing a better comprehension of screening results. In a following project, we facilitated the analysis process by integrating all of the virtuel screening metrics in an interactive tool: Screening Explorer. The second part of my thesis consisted in the research of novel HIV inhibitors. The genomic team of our laboratory identified several genes whose expression influence the development of AIDS, therefore revealing potential therapeutic targets. A bibliographic study allowed to identify compounds that can inhibit those targets. The company Peptinov, associated to our laboratory, is currently estimating the therapeutic potential of the compounds in vitro in assays of (i) HIV infection, (ii) viral proliferation and (iii) viral reactivation.

This thesis discusses vacuum deposited organic solar cells. It focuses on the investigation of new donor molecules blended with the standard electron acceptor C60. These donor-acceptor heterojunctions form the photoactive system of organic solar cells. In addition, the influence of the processing conditions on the morphology of the blend layers is investigated, as the morphology is crucial for an efficient generation of free charge carriers upon photon absorption. Bulk heterojunction solar cells with the donor DTDCTB are deposited at different substrate temperatures. We identify three substrate temperature regimes, discriminated by the behavior of the fill factor (FF ) as a function of the blend layer thickness. Devices deposited at RT have a maximum FF between 50 and 70 nm blend thickness, while devices deposited at 110 °C have a monotonically decreasing FF. At Tsub=85 °C, the devices have an S-kinked current-voltage curve. Grazing incidence wide angle X-ray scattering measurements show that this peculiar behavior of the FF is not correlated with a change in the crystallinity of the DTDCTB, which stays amorphous. Absorption measurements show that the average alignment of the molecules inside the blend also remains unchanged. Charge extraction measurements (OTRACE) reveal a mobility for the 110 °C device that is an order of magnitude higher than for the RT device. The difference in mobility can be explained by a higher trap density for the RT samples as measured by impedance spectroscopy. Despite slightly higher carrier lifetimes for the RT device obtained by transient photovoltage measurements, its mobility-lifetime product is still lower than for the 110 °C devices. Based on DTDCTB, three new donor materials are designed to have a higher thermal stability in order to achieve higher yields upon material purification using gradient sublimation. For PRTF, the thermal stability is increased demonstrated by a higher yield upon sublimation. However, all new materials have a reduced absorption as compared to DTDCTB, which limits the short current density, and the FF is more sensitive to an increase of the blend layer thickness. The highest power conversion efficiency is achieved for a PRTF:C60 solar cell with 3.8%. Interestingly, PRTF:C60 solar cells show exceptionally low nonradiative voltage losses of only 0.26 V. Another absorber molecule is the push-pull chromophore QM1. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) measurements show a growth of the molecule in nanowires on several substrates. The nanowires have lengths up to several micrometers and are several tens of nanometers wide. The formation of the nanowires is accompanied by a strong blue shift (650 meV) of the thin film absorption spectrum in comparison to the absorption in solution, which is attributed to H-aggregation of the molecules. Furthermore, the thin film absorption onset reaches up to 1100 nm, making the material a suitable candidate for a near infrared absorber in organic solar cells. For a solar cell in combination with C60, a power conversion efficiency of 1.9% was achieved with an external quantum efficiency of over 19% for the spectral range between 600 and 1000 nm. The method of “co-evaporant induced crystallization” as a means to increase the crystallinity of blend layers without increasing the substrate temperature during the deposition is investigated. Mass spectrometry (LDI-ToF-MS) measurements show that polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), which is used as a co-evaporant, decomposes during the evaporation and only lighter oligomers evaporate. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) measurements prove that the detection of PDMS saturates at higher amounts of evaporated material. LDI-ToF-MS measurements show further that the determination of the volatilization temperature by QCM measurements is highly error prone. The method was applied to zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) :C60 solar cells, accepting the insertion of PDMS into the blend layer. Diffraction (GIXRD) measurements show a large increase in crystallinity. ZnPc:C60 solar cells produced by applying the method reveal a similar behavior as solar cells processed at a higher substrate temperature.

Le facteur de transcription T-bet joue un rôle central dans la régulation de la différenciation des lymphocytes T. La protéine tyrosine kinase, la glycogène synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3), inhibe l'activation des lymphocytes T et contrôle l'expression de leurs récepteurs inhibiteurs PD-1 et LAG- 3. Bien que l'inhibition de GSK-3 puisse augmenter l'expression de T-bet, l'interrelation entre T-bet et GSK-3 dans l'immunité tumorale est inconnue. Dans cette étude, nous montrons que les souris knock-out T-bet (Tbet - / -) sont compromises dans leur capacité à contrôler la croissance des cellules tumorales du mélanome B16. Cependant, l'injection d'une petite molécule inhibitrice (SMI) de GSK-3 inverse cette condition compromise entraînant le contrôle de la croissance tumorale similaire à celle observée chez les souris de type sauvage. Un examen de Tbet - / - a montré une perte de cellules dendritiques (DC) et de cellules leucocytes polymorphonucléaires (PMN) potentiellement suppressives et de lymphocytes tumoraux T (TILs) CD4 + accompagnée d'une augmentation de cellules T CD8 +. L'analyse viSNE (avancé tSNE) a en outre montré une réduction de la population effectrice expérimentée à l'antigène dans les TILs CD8 + chez Tbet -/-. Cette population est marquée par la réduction de CD44. L'inhibition de GSK-3 n'a montré aucun effet sur la perte de DC, TILs CD4 +, PMN et les TILs CD8 + ainsi que l’expression de Granzyme B (GZMB) sur les cellules T CD8 +. La seule exception était une augmentation mineure néanmoins statistiquement significative du facteur de transcription Eomesdermin (Eomes) dans les TILs CD8 +. L'étude démontre un effet compensatoire inattendu de l'inhibition de GSK-3 sur la perte de T-bet. Il reste à élucider la nature complète du parcours de cette compensation. / The transcription factor T-bet plays a central role in regulating T-cell differentiation, while the protein tyrosine kinase, glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) inhibits T-cell activation and controls the expression of inhibitory receptors PD-1 and LAG-3 on T-cells. Although GSK-3 inhibition can increase T-bet expression, the inter-relationship between T-bet and GSK-3 in tumor immunity is unknown. In this study, we show that T-bet knock-out (Tbet-/-) mice are compromised in their ability to control the growth of the B16 melanoma tumor cells. However, the injection of a small molecule inhibitor (SMI) of GSK-3 reverses this compromised condition resulting in the control of tumor growth similar to that seen in wild type mice. An examination of Tbet-/- showed a loss of dendritic cells (DC) and potentially suppressive polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) and CD4+ cell tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) accompanied by an increase in CD8+ cells. viSNE analysis (advanced tSNE- t-Distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding) further showed a reduction of antigen experienced effector marker CD44 in CD8+ TILs in Tbet-/-. GSK-3 inhibition showed no effect on the loss of DCs, CD4+ TILs or the presence of PMNs or CD8+ T-cells or the loss of Granzyme B (GZMB) on CD8+ cells. The one exception was a minor but statistically significant increase in the transcription factor Eomesodermin (Eomes) in CD8+ TILs. The study demonstrates an unexpected compensatory effect of GSK-3 inhibition on the loss of T-bet. The full nature of the pathway that accounts for this compensation remains to be elucidated.

This thesis discusses vacuum deposited organic solar cells. It focuses on the investigation of new donor molecules blended with the standard electron acceptor C60. These donor-acceptor heterojunctions form the photoactive system of organic solar cells. In addition, the influence of the processing conditions on the morphology of the blend layers is investigated, as the morphology is crucial for an efficient generation of free charge carriers upon photon absorption. Bulk heterojunction solar cells with the donor DTDCTB are deposited at different substrate temperatures. We identify three substrate temperature regimes, discriminated by the behavior of the fill factor (FF ) as a function of the blend layer thickness. Devices deposited at RT have a maximum FF between 50 and 70 nm blend thickness, while devices deposited at 110 °C have a monotonically decreasing FF. At Tsub=85 °C, the devices have an S-kinked current-voltage curve. Grazing incidence wide angle X-ray scattering measurements show that this peculiar behavior of the FF is not correlated with a change in the crystallinity of the DTDCTB, which stays amorphous. Absorption measurements show that the average alignment of the molecules inside the blend also remains unchanged. Charge extraction measurements (OTRACE) reveal a mobility for the 110 °C device that is an order of magnitude higher than for the RT device. The difference in mobility can be explained by a higher trap density for the RT samples as measured by impedance spectroscopy. Despite slightly higher carrier lifetimes for the RT device obtained by transient photovoltage measurements, its mobility-lifetime product is still lower than for the 110 °C devices. Based on DTDCTB, three new donor materials are designed to have a higher thermal stability in order to achieve higher yields upon material purification using gradient sublimation. For PRTF, the thermal stability is increased demonstrated by a higher yield upon sublimation. However, all new materials have a reduced absorption as compared to DTDCTB, which limits the short current density, and the FF is more sensitive to an increase of the blend layer thickness. The highest power conversion efficiency is achieved for a PRTF:C60 solar cell with 3.8%. Interestingly, PRTF:C60 solar cells show exceptionally low nonradiative voltage losses of only 0.26 V. Another absorber molecule is the push-pull chromophore QM1. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) measurements show a growth of the molecule in nanowires on several substrates. The nanowires have lengths up to several micrometers and are several tens of nanometers wide. The formation of the nanowires is accompanied by a strong blue shift (650 meV) of the thin film absorption spectrum in comparison to the absorption in solution, which is attributed to H-aggregation of the molecules. Furthermore, the thin film absorption onset reaches up to 1100 nm, making the material a suitable candidate for a near infrared absorber in organic solar cells. For a solar cell in combination with C60, a power conversion efficiency of 1.9% was achieved with an external quantum efficiency of over 19% for the spectral range between 600 and 1000 nm. The method of “co-evaporant induced crystallization” as a means to increase the crystallinity of blend layers without increasing the substrate temperature during the deposition is investigated. Mass spectrometry (LDI-ToF-MS) measurements show that polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), which is used as a co-evaporant, decomposes during the evaporation and only lighter oligomers evaporate. Quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) measurements prove that the detection of PDMS saturates at higher amounts of evaporated material. LDI-ToF-MS measurements show further that the determination of the volatilization temperature by QCM measurements is highly error prone. The method was applied to zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) :C60 solar cells, accepting the insertion of PDMS into the blend layer. Diffraction (GIXRD) measurements show a large increase in crystallinity. ZnPc:C60 solar cells produced by applying the method reveal a similar behavior as solar cells processed at a higher substrate temperature.

Im ersten Teil der Arbeit wurde die Verwendung von Präkursor microRNA-21(pre-miR21)-spezifischen Peptidnukleinsäure(PNA)-Sonden zur Inhibierung der Dicer-vermittelnden miRNA-Reifung untersucht. Im Gegensatz zur Arbeitshypothese wurde bei der Behandlung von Zellen mit den pre-miR21-spezifischen PNA-Sonden jedoch keine Änderung des miR-21 Niveau beobachtet. Um die Hybridisierung der Sonde an die Zielsequenz nachzuweisen, wurden fluorogene Hybridisierungssonden zur erzwungenen Interkalation (FIT-Sonden), unter Verwendung des Interkalationsfarbstoffes Thiazolorange (TO), entwickelt. Wie vorläufige Ergebnisse zeigen, könnte die TO-PNA Sonde für die Unterscheidung von Zellen mit hohem miR-21-Gehalt nützlich sein, aber eine weitere Verbesserung der Sonde ist noch erforderlich. Im nächsten Teil der Arbeit wurden neuartige FIT-Sonden für die Analyse der Dicer-vermittelnden miR-21-Reifung entwickelt. Um die gleichzeitige Detektion der entstehenden pre-miR21 und der antisense miR-21 (as-miR21) in Echtzeit zu ermöglichen, wurden die Verwendung von spektral unterscheidbaren FIT-Sonden auf Quinolinblau(QB)-und TO-Basis getestet. Das entwickelte Sonden-Paar ermöglichte die Analyse der rhDicer-Reaktion. Dabei wurde entdeckt, dass die rhDicer-Reaktion an der in vitro transkribierten pre-miR21 unspezifisch spaltet. Zusätzlich wies die kürze as-miR21 spezifische TO-Sonde (7nt) eine Sensitivität gegenüber der Anwesenheit des Ago-2 Proteins auf. In der Zukunft könnten die entwickelten Sonden für schnelle in vitro Screenings neuer Dicer-und Ago-2-Inhibitoren angewendet werden. Im zweiten Teil der Dissertation wurde die Verwendung von niedermolekularen Inhibitoren (small molecular inhibitors, SMIs) getestet. Zusammenfassend könnten die zwei identifizierten SMIs für die Inhibierung der miR-122-Reifung genutzt werden, allerdings bleibt die Spezifität der SMIs fraglich und mögliche off-target-Effekte können nicht ausgeschlossen werden. / MicroRNAs (miRNAs) represent small non-coding RNA molecules that mostly negatively regulate gene expression. To yield mature miRNAs, primary miRNA precursors go through two consequent cleavages by Drosha and Dicer RNAse. This work describes the development of tools for inhibition und monitoring the dicer-mediated miRNA processing. Here, peptide nucleic acid (PNA) based probes, targeting the precursor miR-21 (pre-miR21), were designed for inhibition the dicer-mediated miR-21 maturation. In contrast, no change in miR-21 level was observed after cell treatment with the pre-miR21 specific PNA probes. To detect the probe/target hybridization state, the fluorogenic forced intercalation (FIT) PNA probes, bearing thiazole orange dye (TO), were developed. As preliminary results show, the FIT PNA probe might be useful for discrimination of high miR-21 abundant cells, but further probe improvement is still required. To monitor the pre-miR21 cleavage, the combination of the two spectrally distinguishable FIT PNA probes, bearing quinoline blue (QB) and TO fluorophore, was developed to allow the rapid and simultaneous detection of pre-miR21 and antisense mature miR-21 (as-miR21). The probe set was successfully used for detection of the modelled dicer reaction. However, the monitoring of rhDicer reaction have revealed that rhDicer cleaves the in vitro transcribed pre-miR21 nonspecifically. Additionally, the short as-miR21 specific TO PNA probe (7nt) was responsive to the presence of Ago-2 protein. In future, the developed probes can be applied for the fast in vitro screening of new Dicer and Ago-2 inhibitors. In the second part of this work, an alternative approach, small molecular inhibitors (SMIs), was tested. Two identified pre-miR122-targeting SMIs might be used for inhibition of the miR-122 maturation, although, a specificity of these SMIs remains questionable and possible off target effects cannot be excluded.