CAREER: Development of Conjugated Polymer-Drug Nanoparticulate Delivery Vehicles

伊利诺伊大学材料研究部生物材料项目的这一职业奖旨在开发合成化学工具，以利用药物引发的开环聚合促进聚合乳酸纳米颗粒的形成，该聚合乳酸纳米颗粒可精确控制纳米颗粒药物递送系统的形成。 这种聚合方法，其中药物在聚合过程中连接到聚合物链的末端，将具有以下独特的特征。 1)药物负载到聚合物是在药物引发的活性聚合过程中完成的，而不是缀合或包封到现有的聚合物上; 2）药物分子定量地与金属催化剂配位，并促进聚合中的定量链引发和完全单体消耗;和3）药物释放动力学受聚合物基质的降解和可裂解聚合物的水解动力学调节。具有低或无突释效应的药物结合。通过这种方法，药物包封率可达100%，并可通过调节单体/药物比例来控制载药量。 该项目在科学上的广泛影响是使用药物聚合物颗粒开发良好控制的药物输送技术，在医学和食品工业中具有明确的应用该项目将开发独特和创新的教育和推广计划，例如为本科生开发纳米生物材料研讨会并指导这些学生。K-12学生将通过工程暑期项目参与该项目。在该项目的过程中，PI计划开发三个生物材料课程，重点是生物材料的合成和生物医学应用。 此外，还将开发一门高年级本科课程，该课程将涵盖生物材料的监管、法律的和商业方面，整合PI与技术转让办公室的互动。

This Career award by the Biomaterials program in the Division of Materials Research to University of Illinois is to develop synthetic chemistry tools to facilitate the formation of polymeric lactic acid nanoparticle utilizing drug-initiated ring-opening polymerization that precisely controls the formation of nanoparticle drug delivery system. This polymerization approach, where drug is attached to the terminal of polymer chains during polymerization would have the following unique characteristics. 1) Drug loading to polymers is completed in a drug-initiated, living polymerization process instead of being conjugated or encapsulated to an existing polymer; 2) Drug molecules quantitatively coordinate with metal catalysts and facilitate quantitative chain initiation and complete monomer consumption in the polymerization; and 3) Drug release kinetics is modulated by the degradation of polymer matrix and the hydrolysis kinetics of the cleavable polymer-drug bond with low or no burst release effect. By this approach, drug incorporation efficiency could reach 100%, and drug loading could be controlled by adjusting monomer/drug ratio. The scientific broader impact of this project is possible development of well-controlled drug delivery technologies using drug polymer particulates with clear application in medicine and food industryThe project will develop unique and innovative education and outreach programs, such as the development of a workshop on nanobiomaterials for undergraduates and mentoring these students. K-12 students will participate in the project through the Engineering Summer Programs. During the course of this project, the PI plans to develop three biomaterials courses focusing on synthesis and biomedical applications of biomaterials. In addition, a senior undergraduate course will be developed and this course will cover regulatory, legal and business aspects of biomaterials, integrating the PI's interactions with the Tech Transfer Office.