Nano particle controlled release of plant systemic inducers

在过去的十年里，加拿大石油公司一直在农业和草坪护理产品领域的研发活动上投入巨资。由Michael Fefer博士领导的加拿大石油公司已经开发了一系列基于卟啉的产品，在促进植物应对非生物(即干旱和盐分)和生物(真菌病原体)胁迫方面，这些产品在初步测试中表现良好。然而，在卟啉的重新聚集和植物吸收效率低下方面存在着重大障碍，这限制了这些材料的最终商业化。多伦多大学医学生物物理系的郑刚教授发现了用于生物和医疗应用的各种基于卟啉的纳米/微颗粒，包括卟啉纳米颗粒(100 Nm)、超小的卟啉纳米颗粒(20 Nm)、卟啉微泡(2微米)和巨大的卟啉纳米微囊。这些发现的核心是郑实验室在卟啉聚集和解聚方面的专业知识。在这个项目中，我们将在廉价的固体材料(如二氧化硅)上开发稳定的卟啉纳米颗粒和/或微粒子制剂，以防止卟啉聚集，提高植物对其的吸收效率，用于农业应用。该项目汇集了加拿大两个著名的组织，致力于在农业领域开发具有巨大潜力的新型卟啉产品，以改善农业和草坪护理。郑博士还经营着一家由加拿大创新基金会资助的纳米医疗制造中心，该中心将为这一全新的合作提供基础设施和资源。

Petro-Canada has been investing heavily in R&D activities in the area of agricultural and lawn care products over the last decade. The Petro-Canada group, led by Dr. Michael Fefer, has developed a range of porphyrin-based products that have performed well in preliminary tests in terms promoting a plant's ability to cope with both abiotic (i.e. drought and salt) and biotic (fungal pathogen) stresses. However, there are significant barriers in regard to porphyrins' re-aggregation and inefficient uptake by plants, which restrict the eventual commercialization of these materials. Prof. Gang Zheng lab at the Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, has discovered various porphyrin-based nano/micro particles for biological and medical application including porphysome nanoparticles (100nm), ultra small porphyrin nanoparticles (20nm), porphyrin microbubbles (2µm), and giant porphyrin nanovesicles. Central to these discoveries is Zheng lab's expertise in porphyrin aggregation and dis-aggregation. In this project, we will develop stable porphyrins nanoparticle and/or microparticle formulations onto inexpensive solid materials such as silica to against porphyrin aggregation, improve its uptake efficiency by plants for agriculture application. This project brings together two renowned Canadian organizations for the development of novel porphyrin-products in agricultural area with large potential to improve agricultural and lawn care. Dr. Zheng also runs a NanoMed fabrication Center funded by Canada Foundation for Innovation, which will provide infrastructure and resource for this brand new collaboration.