Engineering Block Copolymer and Hybrid Nanotechnologies of Well-Defined Architecture

工程嵌段共聚物和结构明确的混合纳米技术

• 批准号: RGPIN-2016-04293
• 负责人: Allen, Christine
• 金额: $ 3.86万
• 依托单位: University of Toronto
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2019-01-01 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=690397
• 关键词: Engineering; Block; Copolymer; Hybrid; Nanotechnologies

Amphiphilic diblock copolymers that are comprised of individual blocks of hydrophobic and hydrophilic repeat units (e.g. AAAAAABBBBBB) can be synthesized such that they self-assemble, under specific conditions, to form aggregates of well-defined shape and size at the nanoscale. At present, there is considerable interest in the production of stable nanotechnologies for use in a wide range of applications in the pharmaceutical and biomedical industries. To this point, it is largely only spherical shaped block copolymer aggregates that have moved forward to commercial development in these industries. For example, in the pharmaceutical industry, a number of anti-cancer drugs relying on formulation in spherical block copolymer micelles have moved into clinical development. However, beyond the spherical shape, amphiphilic copolymers can be engineered to form aggregates with simple, complex and/or hierarchical shapes. Importantly, the shape of copolymer aggregates has a profound impact on their performance such as loading capacity for hydrophobic and hydrophilic cargo, retention of cargo and transport properties in various media. To date, only a small number of established biocompatible copolymers (e.g. polyethylene glycol-block-polycaprolactone (PEG-b-PCL), PEG-b-poly(D,L-lactide) (PEG-b-PLA)) have been shown to reliably form non-spherical shapes, such as worm-like filomicelles' and vesicles, in aqueous solution. Thus, there is an interest in the design of new biocompatible copolymers that enable reproducible production of distinct morphologies in aqueous solution. Beyond encapsulation of hydrophobic and hydrophilic molecules, these amphiphilic block copolymers can be used to organize inorganic, metallic nanoparticles, such as gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) into well-defined 3D architectures. These polymer/metallic hybrid nanostructures possess unique properties and functionality, unattainable with the metallic nanoparticles alone, and have significant potential for use in biomedical applications such as imaging, photothermal therapy, radiation therapy and biosensors. Therefore, this NSERC proposal requests funding to support basic research into the design and development of new amphiphilic, biocompatible materials that enable production of stable supramolecular assemblies, of copolymer and drug or copolymer and AuNPs, of defined shape and dimension. The relationships between the composition of the copolymers, presence of model drug or AuNPs and shape and size of the copolymer aggregates formed in solution will be established. The fundamental knowledge gained through this research will enable on demand design of functional polymeric nanostructures of specific geometries and dimensions.**

由疏水和亲水性重复单元（例如AAAAAAAABBBBBB）组成的两亲二二嵌段共聚物可以合成，以便它们在特定条件下自组装，形成纳米级稳定的形状和大小的骨料。目前，在制药和生物医学行业的广泛应用中使用稳定的纳米技术产生了极大的兴趣。至此，它在很大程度上只是球形块共聚物聚集体，这些共聚物聚集已向前发展这些行业的商业发展。例如，在制药行业中，许多依赖于球形块共聚物胶束制剂的抗癌药已进入临床发育。但是，除了球形的形状外，可以设计两亲和共聚物以简单，复杂和/或分层形状形成聚集体。重要的是，共聚物聚集体的形状对它们的性能有深远的影响，例如疏水和亲水性货物的加载能力，在各种媒体中的货物保留和运输特性。 To date, only a small number of established biocompatible copolymers (e.g. polyethylene glycol-block-polycaprolactone (PEG-b-PCL), PEG-b-poly(D,L-lactide) (PEG-b-PLA)) have been shown to reliably form non-spherical shapes, such as worm-like filomicelles' and vesicles, in aqueous solution.因此，人们对新的生物相容性共聚物的设计引起了兴趣，这些共聚物能够在水溶液中可重复产生不同的形态。除了包裹疏水和亲水性分子外，这些两亲性块共聚物还可用于组织无机的金属纳米颗粒，例如金纳米颗粒（AUNP），以纳入定义明确的3D体系结构中。这些聚合物/金属杂化纳米结构具有独特的特性和功能，仅在金属纳米颗粒上无法实现，并且具有在成像，光热治疗，放射治疗和生物传感器等生物医学应用中使用的重要潜力。因此，该NSERC提案要求提供资金，以支持对新的两亲性，生物相容性材料的设计和开发的基础研究，这些材料能够生产稳定的超分子组件，共聚物，药物或共聚物和共聚物和AUNP，具有定义的形状和尺寸。共聚物组成，模型药物或AUNP的存在以及溶液中形成的共聚物聚集体的形状和大小之间的关系。 通过这项研究获得的基本知识将使特定几何和维度的功能聚合纳米结构的需求设计。**