NIRT: For Biomedical Nanotube Technology

佛罗里达大学的这项为期四年的纳米尺度跨学科研究团队(NIRT)由Charles R.Martin教授担任首席研究员，对智能纳米管的开发进行了广泛和系统的调查，这些智能纳米管经过生物工程和定制设计，以实现特定的生物医学/生化功能。二氧化硅ASN聚合物纳米管将在这项研究中得到广泛应用。将制备功能化、可生物降解和生物相容的聚丙交酯纳米管。该研究计划的目标包括：(1)证明生物化学功能化纳米管内的化学微环境可以被微调，以促进特定的期望的生化过程；(2)证明这种纳米管可以通过带有纳米颗粒帽的自组装化学来封顶；(3)证明当检测到特定的细胞间化学信号时，这些纳米颗粒帽可以通过解离的化学键连接；(4)证明这种纳米管可以用识别特定细胞类型的抗体标记在它们的外表面；以及(5)证明所有这些概念都可以用来设计新的基于纳米管的DNA转基因载体，将遗传物质输送到特定的所需细胞类型。

This four-year Nanoscale Interdisciplinary Research Team (NIRT) project at the University of Florida with ProfessorCharles R. Martin as principal investigator, conducts a broad-based and systematic investigation of the development of smart nanotubes that are bioengineered and tailor-designed so as to accomplish specific biomedical/biochemical functions. Silica asn polymeric nanotubes will be extensively used in this research effort. Functionalized biodegradable and biocompatible poly( (lactide) nanotubes will be prepared. The objective of the research program include: (1) to show that the chemical microenvironment within biochemically-functionalized nanotubes can be fine-tuned so as promote specific desired biochemical processes; (2) to show that such nanotubes can be capped via self-assembly chemistry with nanoparticle caps; (3) to demonstrate that these nanoparticle caps can be attached via chemical bond that dissociate when a specific intercellular chemical signal is detected; (4) to show that such nanotubes can be tagged on their outer surfaces with antibodies that recognize specific cell types; and (5) to prove that all of these concepts can be used in concert to design new nanotube-based DNA transfection vechicles that deliver genetic material to specific desired cell types.