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CHARACTERIZE AND OPTIMIZE DENDRIMER BASED NANOCARRIERS FOR siRNA DELIVERY IN CHRONICLE OBSTRUCTION PULMONARY DISEASE

People

 

Danani A.

(Responsible)

Abstract

In this project we intend to investigate, by molecular modelling, biophysical properties of phosphorus dendrons, designed to deliver small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting a pivotal pro-inflammatory cytokine (TNF-a) for the pathogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). These particular dendrons possess intrinsic properties that are the easy regioselective functionalization of the core, the possibility to play with the hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity of their surface and core, their biocompatibility and biodegradability as well as high thermal stability. With the aim of designing more effective gene carriers, many parameters need to be taken into consideration such as carrier morphology, size, molecular weight, surface chemistry, electrostatic potential, and flexibility/rigidity ratio. The assessment of these aspects often required expensive experiments, time and a dynamic nanoscale resolution barely obtained by in vitro analysis. The present research will employ molecular modelling to characterize biophysical properties, affinity and molecular mechanisms characterizing the interaction between the amphiphilic dendrons and siRNA in order to evaluate their potential for the delivery of siRNA in the treatment of RA. Objectives of the present project are the characterization of physical and chemical properties of amphiphilic dendrons, the evaluation of self-assembly features of dendrons and the description of siRNA-dendrons interaction at molecular level to ensure an optimized loading and delivery of the therapeutic agent.The research project will be developed in the Computational Biophysics group, Istituto Dalle Molle di Studi sull'Intelligenza Artificiale (IDSIA), Department of Innovative Technologies-DTI, University of Applied Science of Southern Switzerland-SUPSI under the supervision of Prof. Andrea Danani. The project will benefit of the collaboration with international partners that will support IDSIA team with experimental data.

Additional information

Start date
01.01.2017
End date
30.09.2018
Duration
21 Months
Funding sources
SNSF
Status
Ended
Category
European and International Programmes / COST - European Cooperation in Science and Technology / Cost Project