Thiophene based ligands represent a class of molecular reporters proven superior in discerning pathological targets involved in neurodegenerative diseases, as well as bacterial infection. By fluorometric detection that depends on the milieu surrounding the ligand these biological processes can be studied with fluorescence spectroscopy and hyper-spectral confocal microscopy. The binding of a thiophene-based ligand to a biological target can entail specific fluorescent read-out through the conformation-sensitive ligand. Thus, the photo-physical properties of these molecules and the optical connection of binding make them valuable tools in the study of pathological events. As optical detection of pathological phenomena can be realized through several fluorescence parameters, including changes in fluorescent intensity, wavelength shifts, energy transfer, or emission lifetime, molecular studies of pathological targets in several biological systems have been realized by employing thiophene-based ligands. For instance, utilization of conjugated polydisperse and monodisperse thiophene-based molecules has in several studies demonstrated detection of disease associated protein aggregates in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo. 

My doctoral studies have included the synthesis and characterization of thiophene based donor-acceptor-donor (D–A–D) molecules and evaluation of how changes in side-chain positions, molecular length and number of negatively charged carboxylates impact interaction with biological targets. This thesis describes the utilization of the D–A–D molecules as fluorescent ligands for protein aggregates associated with Alzheimer’s disease and optical assignment of specific bacteria. The design and synthesis of these novel D–A–D thiophene-based fluorophores, with alterations in back bone, distribution of side chains and negatively charged groups, have generated novel insights regarding the ligands chemical structure on ligand performance, by the assessment of binding mode of the respective ligand to distinct pathological entities. Furthermore, the D–A–D molecules hold alternative photo-physical properties compared to thiophene-based ligand and these optical properties of the ligands have been employed to provide new insights in questions regarding protein aggregate polymorphism in Alzheimer’s disease. Overall, by organic synthesis we have fine-tuned the properties of thiophene-based D-A-D molecules and evaluated how modifications affect interactions with distinct biological, pathological targets and we foresee that D–A–D thiophene-based ligands will expand the toolbox for studying pathological targets in neurodegenerative diseases, as well as bacterial infection.