Development of functional polymer-protein core-shell nanoparticles

在这项由化学系大分子、超分子和纳米化学(MSN)计划资助的项目中，南卡罗来纳大学的王倩将开发一种新的策略来合成功能性聚合物-蛋白质核壳纳米颗粒。具体地说，该项目将专注于设计和合成生物相容和可生物降解的聚合物，以制造聚合物-蛋白质核壳纳米颗粒。组装过程将使用溶液小角中子散射、荧光显微镜、等温滴定量热法和石英晶体微天平技术进行定量表征。最后，为了验证合成化学，将创建用于运送和释放分子有效载荷的核-壳纳米粒子模型系统。该项目的更广泛影响涉及对项目参与者的跨学科培训，范围从高中生到本科生和研究生。该项目将使他们能够发展先进的研究技能，并提供国际网络，在经济全球化日益增长的形势下，为学生未来的职业生涯提供良好的服务。这项研究项目将发现创造纳米尺寸小颗粒的新方法，这些小颗粒是合成材料和蛋白质的杂交物。这些知识对于开发低成本、结构明确的颗粒至关重要，这些颗粒可用于从药物输送到蛋白质制药以及酶催化剂的稳定和支持等各种应用。

In this project funded by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular, and Nanochemistry (MSN) program in the Division of Chemistry, Qian Wang of the University of South Carolina will develop a new strategy to synthesize functional polymer-protein core-shell nanoparticles. Specifically, the project will focus on the design and synthesis of biocompatible and biodegradable polymers for the fabrication of polymer-protein core-shell nanoparticles. The assembly process will be characterized quantitatively using solution small angle neutron scattering, fluorescent microscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry and quartz crystal microbalance techniques. Finally, in order to validate the synthetic chemistry, a model core-shell nanoparticle system will be created for delivery and release of a molecular payload. The broader impacts of the project involve the interdisciplinary training of project participants, ranging from high school students to undergraduate and graduate students. The project will enable them to develop advanced research skills and provide international networks that will serve students well in their future careers under the ever-growing situation of economic globalization. This research project will uncover new ways to create small particles with nanometer dimensions that are hybrids of synthetic materials and proteins. Such knowledge is essential for the development of low-cost, structurally well-defined particles that could be used for applications ranging from drug delivery, to protein pharmaceuticals, and to the stabilization and support of enzyme catalysts.