Notice and Invitation
Oral Presentation of Dissertation Proposal
Department of Bioengineering, George Mason University
Shrishti Singh
Bachelor of Engineering in Biotechnology,
M S Ramaiah Institute of Technology, Bangalore
Master of Science
in Bioengineering, University of Bridgeport, CT
Magnetic metallic nanorods for Trackable Navigation and Cargo Delivery in
Extracellular Matrix
Wednesday, August 19, 2020, 10:00am-12:30pm
Via Webex Meeting
(link below)
All are invited to attend.
Committee
Dr. Jeffrey L. Moran, Dissertation Director
Dr. Remi Veneziano, Committee Chair
Dr. Parag V. Chitnis
Dr. Geraldine Grant
Abstract:
The extracellular matrix or ECM is a three-dimensional network of proteins that forms the immediate environment of tissues and aids in different cellular processes like cell-signaling and their differentiation. In disease
states like tumors or fibrosis, the network of proteins in ECM remodels itself to a dense and stiff environment which forms a barrier for conventional drug-delivery systems like liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles etc. For effective treatment of ECM-mediated
diseases, it is important to deliver the therapeutic to the diseases site instead of the dense surrounding environment which restricts diffusion of the therapeutic. Hence, there is a current need for therapeutic delivery systems which can move autonomously
through dense, stiff ECM in a diseased state. Self-propelled particles (SPPs) are colloidal particles that convert available physical or chemical energy into motion. Even though previous studies have demonstrated the movement of SPPs in a network of fibers
like hydrogels, their use to deliver therapeutics at the disease site while their movement in ECM is tracked is an avenue that requires further improvements. In this work, we propose an advanced drug delivery system that is capable of externally guided autonomous
movement in diseased microenvironments (ECM) and can be imaged using photoacoustic imaging (PAI). In the first part of this work, we demonstrate synthesis of modified J-aggregates of indocyanine green dye (ICG) with peak absorption in the NIR region (620 nm
< λ < 950 nm). These modified ICG J-aggregates have a strong photoacoustic signal in NIR region, enabling their use as probes for deep-tissue imaging. The J-agg can also be modified with targeting molecules like RGD peptide, which can
target cell membrane receptors. In the second part of this work, we propose to demonstrate the use of J-aggregates as labels to enable photoacoustic tracking of the motion of magnetically propelled iron (Fe) nanorod, a biocompatible SPP, as therapeutic delivery
vehicles through in vitro models of ECM.
Webex Meeting info:
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Meeting number (access code): 120 476 3553 |
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Meeting password: MQwSJ5883yU |
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Wednesday, August 19, 2020 |
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10:00 am | (UTC-04:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada) | 2 hrs 30 mins |
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