New Advances in Biomedical Applications of Porphyrins and Analogs as Photosensitizers, Pro-oxidants, and Bioimaging Agents

Porphyrins and analogs are well-known for their roles in important biological functions, but also their medical applications among others. In general, these aromatic and highly conjugated macrocycles are emissive and show high efficiency in generating reactive oxygen species (e.g. singlet oxygen) under visible light irradiation and in the presence of dioxygen. This specific combination is particularly relevant for their role as photosensitizers in photodynamic therapy (PDT) against tumoral cells, but also toward non-oncological pathologies, namely in eradicating a broad range of microorganisms including drug-resistant strains. The easy fine-tuning of photochemical, photophysical, and photoredox properties of tetrapyrrolic macrocycles through structural modifications is also responsible for other biomedical applications, like diagnosis namely as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging, bioimaging, and bio-sensing.

This Research Topic aims to get contributions from the scientific community where recent advances concerning the potentiality of these macrocycles under different biomedical contexts are being explored. Our goal is to attain a collection of articles about recent progress and future perspectives on biomedical applications of natural and synthetic porphyrins and analogs, like corroles and phthalocyanines; in different contexts namely to mediate photodynamic processes to treat oncological diseases but also non-oncological pathologies like eradication of microorganisms, including drug-resistant strains. We also expect to have contributions where the assessment of their features, namely as healing agents, contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), bioimaging, and biosensing will be discussed. We also welcome research concerning the development of tetrapyrrolic-based hybrid nanomaterials to overcome the low water solubility of porphyrinoids and their high tendency to form aggregates.

Submissions are welcome for the following article types: original research, review, mini-reviews, systematic reviews, research protocol, opinion, and hypothesis. We particularly welcome contributions that include, but are not limited to:
- Development of new tetrapyrrolic-based photosensitizers
- Photodynamic Therapy
- Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy
- Photoactive materials
- Mechanisms of action
- Drug delivery systems
- Diagnostic agents
- Contrast agents
- Theragnostic agents
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Bioimaging
- Biosensing
- G-Quadruplexes
- Probe design

Keywords: tetrapyrrolic macrocycles, photodynamic therapy, antimicrobial photodynamic therapy, diagnosis, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), bioimaging, biosensing, porphyrins, corroles, phthalocyanines, drug delivery, nanomaterials

Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.