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Scholarly Interest Report
         
Angel Martí
Assistant Professor
Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Bioengineering
 
e-mail:aam4@rice.edu
 
  • Postdoctoral Research Associate (2004-2008) Columbia University, NY
  • B.S. Chemistry (1999) University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras
  • Ph.D. Inorganic Chemistry (2004) University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras
 
Primary Department
   Department of Chemistry
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Department Affiliations
 
  • Department of Bioengineering
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    Websites
     Angel A. Marti's Research Group
     Angel A. Marti's Research Group
     
    Angel A. Marti
     Our research group is interested in the design and synthesis of multifunctional molecular constructs for the treatment and diagnosis of amyloid forming diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease, in addition to the development of sensors and the in vivo and in vitro detection of DNA and mRNA.

    5.2 million people suffer Alzheimer's in the United States. By 2050, this number will increase to 14 million unless a cure is found. Finding novel treatments for Alzheimer's disease represents a challenge that will involve different scientific disciplines. Our approach involves the use of molecular scissors to degrade and solubilize amyloid deposits. These amyloid scissors consist of a recognition element capable of selectively binding to amyloid plaques, bound to an artificial protease capable of cleave proteins, similar to those in amyloid plaques. We also aim to attach paramagnetic species such as gadolinium compounds to amyloid recognition elements for use as diagnosis tools in conjuction with MRI techniques.

    Other projects involve the design of probes for the detection and monitoring of DNA and mRNA in different media. This will include the use of hybridization probes with an oligonucleotide sequence complementary to the target sequence of interest, and a fluorescent reporter group capable of changing its photophysical properties upon binding to the target sequence.

    Our group is also interested in investigating the changes in structure that the protein alpha-synuclein undergoes when it binds to membranes and small molecules such as melanin. Alpha-synuclein has been associated with the pathology of Parkinson's disease. We will use spectroscopic methods such as FTIR and circular dichroism to determine the changes in structure of this protein when interacting with different molecular and supramolecular agents.
     
    Selected Publications
     Book chapters
     A. A. Marti, N. J. Turro "Fluorescent Responsive Probes for Oligonucleotide Detection." Chemical Evolution II. From Origins of Life to Modern Society, 1025 (2009) : 269-282.
     
     Refereed Articles
     Diaz, A. Mosby, B. Bakhmutov, V. Martí, A. A. Batteas, J. Clearfield, A. "Self Assembled Monolayers Based Upon a Zirconium Phosphate Platform." Chem. Mater., 25 (2013) : 723-728.
     
     Jiang, C.; Saha, A.; Changsheng, X.; Young, C.; Tour, J. M.; Pasquali, M.; Martí, A. A. "ncreased Solubility, Diameter Selectivity and Liquid Crystalline Phase of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Polyelectrolyte Dispersions." ACS Nano, 7 (2013) : 4503-4510.
     
     Cook, N. P.; Archer, C. M.; Fawver, J. N.; Schall, H. E.; Rodriguez-Rivera, J.; Dineley, K. T.; Martí, A. A.; Murray, I. V. J. "Ruthenium Red Colorimetric and Birefringent Staining of Amyloid-β Aggregates In Vitro and in Tg 2576 Mice." ACS Chem. Neurosci., 4 (2013) : 379-384.
     
     Cook, N. P.; Kilpatrick, K.; Segatori, L.; Martí, A. A. "Detection of α-Synuclein Amyloidogenic Aggregates In Vitro and in Cells using Light-Switching Dipyridophenazine Ruthenium(II) Complexes." J. Am. Chem. Soc., 134 (2012) : 20776-20782.
     
     Cook, N. P.; Martí, A. A. "Facile Methodology for Monitoring Amyloid-β Fibrillization." ACS Chem. Neurosci., 3 (2012) : 896-899.
     
     Gupta, B. K.; Narayanan, T. N.; Vithayathil, S. A.; Lee, Y. Koshy, S.; Reddy, A. L. M.; Saha, A.; Shanker, V.; Singh, V. N.; Kaipparettu, B. A.; Martí, A. A.; Ajayan, P. M. "Highly Luminescent-Paramagnetic Nanophosphor Probes for in Vitro High-Contrast Imaging of Human Breast Cancer Cells." Small, 8 (2012) : 3028-3034.
     
     Huang, K.; Bulik, I.; Martí, A. A. "Time-Resolved Photoluminescence Spectroscopy for the Detection of Cysteine and Other Thiol Containing Amino Acids in Complex Strongly Autofluorescent Media." Chem. Commun., 48 (2012) : 11760-11762.
     
     Huang, K.; Martí, A. A. "Recent Trends in Molecular Beacons Design and Applications." Anal. Bioanal. Chem., 402 (2012) : 3091-3102.
     
     Huang, K.; Martí, A. A. (Journal Cover) "Optimizing the Sensitivity of Photoluminescent Probes Using Time-Resolved Spectroscopy: A Molecular Beacon Case Study." Anal. Chem., 84 (2012) : 8075-8082.
     
     Peng, J.; Gao, W.; Gupta, B. K.; Liu, Z.; Romero-Aburto, R.; Ge, L.; Song, L.; Alemany, L. B.; Zahn, X.; Gao, G.; Vithayathil, S. A.; Kaipparettu, B. A.; Martí, A. A.; Hayashi, T.; Zhu, J. -J.; Ajayan, P. M. "Graphene Quantum Dots Derived from Carbon Fibers." Nano Lett., 12 (2012) : 844-849.
     
     Reddy, A. L. M.; Gupta, B. K.; Narayanan, T. N.; Martí, A. A.; Ajayan, P. M.; Walker, G. C. "Probing on Time-Resolved and Photoluminescence Spectroscopy of Ni Encapsulated Ferromagnetic Boron Nitride Nanotubes." J. Phys. Chem. C, 116 (2012) : 12803-12089.
     
     Saha, A.; Ghosh, S.; Weisman, R. B.; Martí, A. A. "Films of Bare Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes from Superacids with Tailored Electronic and Photoluminescence Properties." ACS Nano, 6 (2012) : 5727-5734.
     
     Cook, N. P.; Torres, V.; Jain, D.; Martí, A. A. "Sensing Amyloid-ß Aggregation using Luminescent Dipyridophenazine Ruthenium(II) Complexes." J. Am. Chem. Soc., 133 (2011) : 11121-11123.
     
     Gupta, B. K.; Rathee, V.; Narayanan, T. N.; Thanikaivelan, P.; Saha, A.; Govind, S.; Singh, P.; Shanker, V.; Martí, A. A.; Ajayan, P. M. "Probing a Bifunctional Luminomagnetic Nanophosphor for Biological Applications: a Photoluminescence and Time-Resolved Spectroscopic Study." Small, 7 (2011) : 1767-1773.
     
     Gupta, B. K.; Thanikaivelan, P.; Narayanan, T. N.; Song, L.; Gao, W.; Hayashi, T.; Saha, A.; Shanker, V.; Endo, M.; Martí, A. A.; Ajayan, P. M. "Optical Bi-functionality of Europium Complexed Luminescent Graphene Nanosheets.." Nano Lett., 11 (2011) : 5227-5233.
     
     Jain, D.; Saha, A.; Martí, A. A. (Inside Cover) "Non-Covalent Ruthenium Polypyridyl Complexes-Carbon Nanotubes Composites: An Alternative for Functional Dissolution of Carbon Nanotubes in Solution." Chem. Commun., 47 (2011) : 2246-2248.
     
     Saha, A.; Ghosh, S.; Behabtu, N.; Pasquali, M.; Martí, A. A. "Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Shell Decorating Porous Silicate Materials: A General Platform for Studying the Interaction of Carbon Nanotubes with Photoactive Molecules." Chem. Sci., 2 (2011) : 1682-1687.
     
     Chen, J. Y. -C.; Martí, A. A.; Turro, N. J.; Komatsu, K.; Murata, Y.; Lawler, R. G. "Comparative NMR Properties of H2 & HD in Toluene-d8 and H2/HD@C60." J. Phys. Chem. B, 114 (2010) : 14689-14695.
     
     Martí, A. A.; Colón, J. L. "Photophysical Characterization of the Interactions among Tris(2,2’-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) Complexes Ion-Exchanged within Zirconium Phosphate." Inorg. Chem., 49 (2010) : 7298-7303.
     
     Turro, N. J.; Chen, J. Y. -C.; Sartori, E.; Ruzzi, M.; Martí, A. A.; Lawler, R.; Jockusch, S.; Lopez-Gejo, J.; Komatsu, K.; Murata, Y "The spin chemistry and magnetic resonance of H2@C60. From the Pauli principle to trapping a long lived nuclear excited state inside a buckyball." Acc. Chem. Res., 43 (2010) : 335-345.
     
     N. A. O'Connor, N. Stevens, D. Samaroo, M. R. Solomon, A. A. Marti, J. Dyer, H. Vishwasrao, D. L. Akins, E. R. Kandel, N. J. Turro "A covalently linked phenanthridine-ruthenium(II) complex as a RNA probe." Chem. Commun. (2009) : 2640-2642.
     
     A. Wakata, S. M. Cahill, M. Blumenstein, R. H. Gunby, S. Jockusch, A. A. Marti, B. Cimbro, C. Gambacorti-Passerini, A. Donella-Deana, L. A. Pinna, N. J. Turro, D. S. Lawrence "A Mechanistic Design Principle for Protein Tyrosine Kinase Sensors: Applications to a Validated Cancer Target." Org. Lett., 10 (2008) : 301-204.
     
     J. R. Lancaster, A. A. Marti, J. Lopez-Gejo, S. Jockusch, N. O'Connor, N. J. Turro "Non-radiative Deactivation of Singlet Oxygen (1O2) by Cubane and Its Derivatives." Org. Lett., 10 (2008) : 5509-5512.
     
     N. J. Turro, A. A. Marti, J. Y.-C. Chen, S. Jockusch, R. G. Lawler, M. Ruzzi, E. Sartori, S.-C. Chuang, K. Komatsu, Y. Murata "Demonstration of a Chemical Transformation inside a Fullerene. The Reversible Conversion of the Allotropes of H2@C60." J. Am. Chem. Soc., 130 (2008) : 10506-10507.
     
     P. Colon, C. J. Wang, Y. Wu, Y. Chen, K. Martinez, W. Tan, S. Stevens, A. A. Marti, S. Jockusch, N. J. Turro "Excimer Signaling Molecular Beacons for Probing Nucleic Acids." J. Am. Chem. Soc., 130 (2008) : 336-342.
     
    Presentations
     Invited Talks
     "Recent advances in the use of photoluminescent ruthenium(II) dipyridophenazine complexes to monitor different aggregation states of amyloid β peptides,." 68th Southwest Regional Meeting: Symposium - Chemical and Structural Biology: New Frontiers in Therapeutic Development, Baton Rouge, TX. (November 2012)
     
     "Telling the Secrets of Time-Gating for the Enhancement of the Sensitivity of Photoluminescent Probes,." Instrumentation and Applications of Fluorescence Spectroscopy Symposium, Houston, TX. (September 2012)
     
     "Monitoring of Amyloid Protein Fibrilization using Dipyridophenazine Ruthenium (II) Complexes." Gordon Research Conference (Photochemistry), Easton, Massachusetts. (July 2011) With Cook, N.
     
     "Amyloid degradation by artificial peptidases." MARC (Minority Access to Research Careers) and Sube Programs, University of Puerto Rico, Ria Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico. (November)
     
     "Conversations between Molecular Hydrogen and Oxygen through the Walls of C60. The Reversible Conversion of the Allotropes of H2@C60.." Symposium on H2@C60, Columbia University, New York, New York. (August, 2008) With N. J. Turro, J. Y.-C. Chen, S. Jockusch, M. Ruzzi, E. Sartori, R. G. Lawler, S.-C. Chuang, K. Komatsu, Y. Murata
     
     Seminar Speaker
     "Light Switching Complexes, Neurodegenerative Diseases and Amyloid Aggregates: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,." North Dakota State University. (September 2012)
     
     "Light Switching Complexes, Neurodegenerative Diseases and Amyloid Aggregates: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,." Baylor University, Waco, TX. (October 2012)
     
     "Light Switching Complexes, Neurodegenerative Diseases and Amyloid Aggregates: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,." Texas State University, San Marcos, (October 2012)
     
     "Monitoring of Amyloid Protein Fibrillization using Dipyridophenazine Ruthenium (II) Complexes." MARC (Minority Access to Research Careers), University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico. (August 2011) With Cook, N.
     
     "Monitoring of Amyloid Protein Fibrillization using Dipyridophenazine Ruthenium (II) Complexes." Department of Chemistry, West Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan. (November 2011)
     
     "Monitoring of Amyloid Protein Fibrillization using Dipyridophenazine Ruthenium (II) Complexes." MARC (Minority Access to Research Careers), University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico. (August 2011) With Cook. N.
     
     "Monitoring of Amyloid Protein Fibrillization using Dipyridophenazine Ruthenium (II) Complexes." Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Humacao, Puerto Rico. (August 2011) With Cook, N.
     
     "Monitoring of Amyloid Protein Fibrillization using Dipyridophenazine Ruthenium (II) Complexes." Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. (August 2011)
     
     "Superacids, Supramolecular Frameworks and Super-Duper Carbon Nanotechnology." Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico. (August 2011) With Saha, A.
     
    Awards, Prizes, & Fellowships
     Sigma Xi full Member, Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society (05/05/2011)

     Norman Hackerman Young Investigator Award, Welch Foundation (2008)