NIRT: Modular Nanodevices for Creation of Smart, Adaptable Vaccine Delivery Vehicles

提案标题： NIRT：分子纳米装置用于创建智能，适应性疫苗输送车辆CTS-0609326主要研究者：Tarek Fahmy机构：耶鲁大学该提案是响应纳米科学和工程倡议，NSF 05-610，类别NIRT。 拟议的工作将由一个跨学科的研究人员团队（工程师，细胞生物学家和免疫学家）进行，将导致在制备新一代疫苗系统方面的最新技术水平的改进，并将首次系统研究聚合物纳米颗粒与免疫系统细胞（如树突状细胞）和活动物组织的相互作用。我们的团队对所提出的智能纳米颗粒系统的每个元素都有相当的专业知识;将这些元素结合起来的专门努力将是该提案的主要目标。拟议的研究计划将产生广泛的影响，因为它将探索合成模块化纳米颗粒的新方法，这可能在各种环境中都有用。通过专注于使用这些新材料作为疫苗载体，这项工作将提供对纳米颗粒与树突状细胞相互作用机制的更好理解，因此将有助于理解可应用于世界卫生中的重大问题。此外，这项工作将导致更好地理解和更好地设计应对生物学重要挑战所需的材料。与依赖于使用工程重组抗体的方法不同，我们的策略应该产生一种稳定的、易于制造的疫苗产品，这种疫苗产品可能作为一种可用于应对全球健康问题所带来的挑战的试剂。该研究小组将在教育和推广计划的背景下探讨纳米科学中的一个重要技术问题，该计划旨在培养年轻科学家和工程师进入一个新的跨学科科学领域，该领域具有直接的社会相关性和公共利益：针对病毒和生物威胁剂的疫苗接种。此外，这个新颖的纳米级科学项目，它解决了一个生物医学意义的问题，提供了一个吸引年轻人注意的机会;研究人员将通过完善和成功的推广和教育计划，与大纽黑文地区的高中生和教育工作者合作。该提案解决了以下研究和教育主题中列出的计划公告：在纳米尺度的生物系统。

Proposal Title: NIRT: Molecular Nanodevices for Creation of Smart, Adaptable Vaccine Delivery VehiclesCTS-0609326Principal Investigator: Tarek FahmyInstitution: Yale UniversityThis proposal was received in response to Nanoscale Science and Engineering Initiative, NSF 05-610, category NIRT. The proposed work, which will be conducted by an interdisciplinary team of established investigators (engineers, cell biologists, and immunologists), will lead to improvements in the state of the art in the preparation of a new generation of vaccine systems, and will provide the first systematic study of the interactions of polymer nanoparticles with both immune system cells such as dendritic cells and tissues in live animals. Our team has considerable expertise with each individual element of the proposed smart nanoparticle system; a dedicated effort in combining these elements will be the major goal of the proposal. The proposed research program will have broad impact because it will explore new methods for synthesis of modular nanoparticles, which may be useful in a wide variety of settings. By focusing on use of these new materials as vaccine vectors, the work will provide an improved understanding of the mechanisms of nanoparticle interaction with dendritic cells, and will therefore contribute understanding that can be applied to significant problems in world health. In addition, this work will lead to a better understanding and better design of materials needed to address important challenges in biology. Unlike approaches relying on the use of engineered recombinant antibodies, our strategy should produce a stable, easy to fabricate vaccine product that might be useful as an agent useful for the challenges posed by global health problems. This research team will approach an important technological problem in nanoscale science within the context of an educational and outreach program that seeks to train young scientists and engineers in a new area of interdisciplinary science that is of immediate societal relevance and public interest: vaccination against viral and biothreat agents. In addition, this novel nanoscale science project, which addresses a problem of biomedical significance, provides an opportunity to attract the attention of young people; the investigators will work with high school students and educators in the great New Haven area through well-established and successful outreach and education programs. This proposal addresses the following research and education theme listed in the program announcement: Biosystems at the Nanoscale.