WG 4: Interactions of metallo-drugs on the cellular level

Working Group Coordinator: Patrick Bednarski, University of Greifswald, Germany

Topic: It is of utmost importance to understand how metal-based compounds interact with and affect cellular systems, and how they are processed by cells with the goal of developing drugs with novel mechanisms of action. The effects of the potential metallo-drugs on cellular signal-transduction pathways, metal-ion homeostasis, redox responses, cell transformations and cell death are elucidated. Interactions between the designed compounds and selected biomolecules such as metallochaperones, metallotransporters and genetic material are analyzed by both theoretical and experimental methods. The fate of the compounds in cells are studied by measuring metal uptake, speciation and biotransformations, and the elimination of metals and ligands. By better understanding interactions between metal-based compounds and cells, targeted therapeutic strategies with improved specificity can be developed. Hence, within this WG, the processing of metallo-drugs on the cellular level is investigated.