CAREER: The Design and Utilization of Nanoscale Objects for Applications in Medicine and Materials Science

在化学系有机和大分子化学项目的支持下，范德比尔特大学化学系的Eva M. Harth教授将对两个合成相关但概念上截然不同的项目进行研究，第一个是开发用于药物输送的多功能聚合物纳米颗粒，第二个是用于磁共振成像的聚合物纳米颗粒。受生物启发的纳米颗粒以自上而下的方法制备，其中将功能化引入基本纳米颗粒，并以自下而上的方法制备，其中在线性前体水平上引入进一步的规格。新一代树突状分子转运体将允许将生物活性货物，如开发的纳米载体，小分子，肽和基因运送到特定的亚细胞位置（细胞核或细胞质）。还提出了使用分子内交联方法创建由导电聚合物组成的复杂材料，以创建具有明确尺寸的功能，独特的颗粒。在一种新的方法中，半导体交联单元将成为具有大纳米尺寸的半导体星形聚合物的核心单元。在亲水性星形聚合物中使用镧系元素将为MRI应用提供强大的双峰成像试剂。在化学系有机和大分子化学项目的支持下，Harth教授将开展多方面的合作研究计划，包括功能化纳米物体的设计和合成，为纳米医学中的癌症治疗、疫苗开发、基因传递和成像试剂提供多功能平台。该教育战略将包括一个连贯的、系统的教育和推广计划，该计划将研究项目纳入其中，重点是解决女性和少数民族在纳米医学和软材料科学领域代表性不足的问题。

With the support of the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program in the Chemistry Division, Professor Eva M. Harth, of the Chemistry Department at the Vanderbilt University, will perform research on two synthetically related but conceptually quite distinct projects, the first on development of multifunctional polymeric nanoparticles for drug delivery, and the second polymeric nanoparticles for magnetic resonance imaging. The bioinspired nanoparticles are prepared in a top-down approach where functionalizations are introduced to a basic nanoparticle and in a bottom-up approach where further specifications are introduced on the linear precursor level. The new generation of dendritic molecular transporters will allow delivery of bioactive cargo, such as developed nanocarriers, small molecules, peptides and genes into specific sub cellular locations (nucleus or cytosol). Also proposed is the creation of complex materials composed of conducting polymers using intramolecular crosslinking methods to create functional, distinctive particles with well-defined dimensions. In a novel approach semiconducting crosslinking units will be the core units of semiconducting star polymers with large nanoscale dimensions. The use of lanthanides in hydrophilic star polymers will provide powerful bimodal imaging reagents for MRI applications. With the support of the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program in the Chemistry Division, Professor Harth will pursue a multi-faceted, collaborative research plan involving the design and synthesis of functionalized nanoobjects to provide versatile platforms for cancer therapeutics, vaccine development, gene delivery, and imaging reagents in nanomedicine. The educational strategy will incorporate a coherent, systemic education and outreach plan that incorporates the research program with emphasis on addressing the underrepresentation of females and minorities in the fields of nanomedicine and soft materials science.