Modular columnar supramolecular polymers as scaffolds for biomedical applications.

Self-assembly of discotic molecules into supramolecular polymers offers a flexible approach for the generation of multicomponent one-dimensional columnar architectures with tuneable biomedical properties. Decoration with ligands induces specific binding of the self-assembled scaffold to biological targets. The modular design allows the easy co-assembly of different discotics for the generation of probes for targeted imaging and cellular targeting with adjustable ligand density and composition.