Microfluidic Engineering of Alginate Nanogels for the Delivery of Gene Therapies to the Central Nervous System

虽然基因治疗通常使用病毒载体进行，但也可以使用非病毒系统，尽管它们通常在所需的时间内传递表达的效果较差。我们最近的工作表明，纳米凝胶可能适用于遗传物质的传递，特别是在中枢神经系统中，我们已经展示了合适的表达时间框架。该项目将涉及开发微流体方法，以开发纳米凝胶作为基因治疗的输送系统。这些系统将用于探索给药系统的制造、规模和功效，因此项目活动将从工程到给药和生物评估。该项目将适合具有药物输送，工程和处理背景以及了解基因治疗原理和要求的候选人。应用的主要方法和技术：药物传递系统的设计和表征，微流体方法，基因表达的生物学评价。

Project Summary While gene therapy is usually performed using viral vectors, non-viral systems may also be used although they are often less effective in delivering expression for the required time period. Our recent work has indicated nanogels may be applicable for the delivery of genetic materials, particularly to the CNS where we have shown suitable expression timeframes. The project will involve the development of microfluidic approaches to develop nanogels as delivery systems for gene therapy. These systems will be used to explore the manufacture, scale up and efficacy of the delivery systems, hence the project activities will range from engineering through to drug delivery and biological assessment. The project will suit a candidate who has a background in drug delivery, engineering and processing and an understanding of the principles and requirements of gene therapy.Main Methods and Techniques to be employedDesign and characterisation of drug delivery systems, microfluidic approaches, biological assessment of the gene expression.