Photoresponsive fluorochromic materials are regarded as an effective means for information storage. Their reversible changes of color and fluorescence facilitate the storage process and increase the possible storage capacity. Here, we propose an optically reconfigurable Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) process to realize tunable emissions based on photochromic spiropyrans and common fluorophores. The kinetics of the photoisomerization of the spiropyran and the FRET process of the composite were systematically investigated. Through tuning the ratios of the acceptor spiropyran and donor fluorophore and external light stimuli, a programmable FRET process was developed to obtain tunable outputs. More importantly, flexible microarrays were fabricated from such fluorochromic mixtures by inkjet printing (230 ppi) and the dynamic FRET process could also be applied to generate tunable fluorescence in ready-made microstructures. The flexible patterns created using the microarrays could be used as novel optically readable media for information storage by altering the composition and optical performance of every feature within the microarray. A key aspect of information storage such is anti-counterfeiting, and these colorful displays can be fabricated and integrated in a simple and straightforward system. The reliable fabrication and programmable optical performances of these large-scale flexible polymer microarrays represent a substantial step toward high-density and high-security information storage platforms.

The clinically used antifungal polyene amphotericin B was conjugated, via the mycosamine and the aglycon moieties, to fluorophores. The Cy5 conjugated probe showed selective labelling of fungi in the presence of bacteria, allowing multiplexed imaging and identification of microbial species in a co-culture of fungi and Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

Fluorescent optical imaging is becoming an increasingly attractive imaging tool that physicians can utilise as it can detect previously ‘unseen’ changes in tissue at a cellular level that are consistent with disease. This is possible using a range of fluorescently labelled imaging agents that, once excited by specific wavelengths of light, can illuminate damaged and diseased tissues. For surgeons, such agents can permit dynamic, intraoperative imaging providing a real-time guide as they resect diseased tissue.

A tri-branched, FRET-based probe for the detection of hNE was synthesised with emission in the NIR region of the spectrum, where endogenous biomolecules have decreased absorbance, and minimal autofluorescence.

Taking inspiration from the assembly of so-called peptoids (N-alkylglycine oligomers) we present a new synthetic methodology whereby N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) based Pd ligands were assembled using a sub-monomer approach and loaded with Pd via solid-phase synthesis. This allowed the rapid generation a library of NHC–palladium catalysts that were readily functionalised to allow bioconjugation. These catalysts were able to rapidly activate a caged fluorophore and ‘switch-on’ an anticancer prodrug in 3D cell culture.