Tuning Molecular Translocaton by Close-Field Electroporation

该项目旨在确定DNA和其他分子在响应高度局部电场时能够跨细胞膜迁移的潜在机制。最近有研究表明，在细胞水平上聚焦电场，使用一组小电极，可以产生意想不到的高细胞转染效率。它被称为“近场电穿孔”。本文提出建立细胞周围电场的性质和细胞膜与这些电场的相互作用，使分子易位。这门基础科学在药物输送、基因治疗和神经刺激等领域具有广泛的意义。

This project aims to determine the underlying mechanisms by which DNA and other molecules are able to migrate across the cell membrane in response to highly localised electric fields. It has recently been shown that focusing of electric fields at the cellular level, using an array of small electrodes, results in unexpectedly high cell transfection efficiencies. It has been termed 'close-field electroporation'. Here it is proposed to establish the properties of the electric fields around cells and cell membrane interactions with these fields that enable molecular translocation. This fundamental science could have broad implications in the domains of drug delivery, gene therapy and neural stimulation.