The Biophysical Chemistry of Nanoparticle Interactions

越来越多的纳米粒子（NPs）将有意或无意地出现在生物环境中。在NPs将遇到的许多结构中，膜可能是最关键的，因为膜保护生物体免受外来物的侵害。上述研究计划将显著提高我们对关键NP特性的认识，这些特性可用于预测NP与生物膜的相互作用。诸如相对电荷、NP大小和表面化学、表面张力和溶液离子强度等参数将成为我们将开发的预测矩阵模型的要素。目前的NPs环境影响模型和生物体内的NP分布不具备预测NPs在膜上和膜内分配的能力。我们开发的模型将影响调控NPs的政策决策，可以直接与我们的体内工作进行比较，并用于合理设计新的NPs。此外，我们在卡尔加里拥有独特的能力，可以使用三色荧光相互关联光谱测量分层高阶NPs的组装动力学和平衡。这将提供以前无法获得的数据和对NP组装过程的深入了解，并将对NP-蛋白电晕动力学、NP絮凝动力学和胶体不稳定性动力学产生新的理解。

Increasingly nanoparticles (NPs) will find themselves in biological milieus, either purposefully or accidentally. Of the many structures NPs will encounter, membranes may be the most critical, as membranes protect organisms from foreign objects. The research program described above will significantly advance our knowledge of the critical NP properties that can be used to predict NP interactions with biomembranes. Parameters such as relative charge, NP size and surface chemistry, surface tension, and solution ionic strength will be elements of a predictive matrix model that we will develop. Current models for environmental impact of NPs and NP distributions in organisms do not possess predictive capabilities for partitioning of NPs onto and into membranes. The models we develop will influence policy decisions on regulating NPs, can be directly compared with our in vivo work, and used to rationally design new NPs. Additionally, we have a unique capability in Calgary to measure the assembly kinetics and equilibria for hierarchical, higher-order NPs using 3-colour fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy. This will provide previously unavailable data and insight into the NP assembly process and will generate new understanding of NP-protein corona dynamics, NP flocculation dynamics and colloid instability dynamics.