Shuttling through the Blood Brain Barrier using Carbon Nanoneedles

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A significant proportion of the population are affected by diseases of the brain, many of which have limited drug treatment. Such diseases are often difficult to clinically diagnose and treat due to the limitations of brain access. One of the principle obstacles in drug development is brain delivery of the drugs or imaging agents, that can treat the disease or enhance its diagnosis. Recently, ultra small tubular like nanomaterial made of carbon called carbon nanotubes has been developed which could serve as "rafts" that could help transport drugs into the brain or could facilitate imaging of the brain. However, at present there is lack of information about the ability and mechanisms by which these nanotubes can penetrate into the brain through the blood brain barrier. This project will utilise a cellular model of this tight membrane to investigate how these nanotubes cross the endothelial brain membrane and whether they affect its integrity.