NanoBioScience Institute 

NBEC - Major Research Groups

Nanotherapeutics
(Group Leader: Dr. R. M. Kannan)
Breakthroughs in genomics and high throughput screening have resulted in a rapid inflow of therapeutically active small molecules and macromolecules.  Nanoscale drug delivery vehicles (dendrimers, liposomes, nanoparticles) will play a key role in the successful development of targeted drug delivery. The ‘nanotherapeutics group’ represents a group of engineering, science, medical, and clinical researchers, who are working together to create, characterize, and translate targeted nanotherapeutics to clinical applications. For example, our group seeks to use novel multifunctional nanomaterials called dendrimers, which are tailored to target, deliver, and signal. Therefore, the assembled expertise in chemistry, in vitro, and in vivo characterization is pivotal to the success. The distinguishing features of this group are: (1) the strong momentum established by several members of the group who have already been working together for more than two years to develop the platforms that are now ready for animal testing; (2) clearly established links to clinical applications and animal models, which are crucial for external funding; (3) emphasis on creating significant intellectual property, and commercial applications of the emerging technologies; (4) the educational and curriculum initiatives to bring together students and researchers from various colleges to work in this highly inter-disciplinary area. Support letters from the various academic units are attached. The main objective of our studies will be to determine how the chemistry of the vehicle can be engineered at the nanoscale to deliver drugs at the cellular level leading to improved therapeutic efficacy and clinical outcome.  Since dendrimers are the smallest and most multi-functional of the available nano drug carriers, we will further study their interactions with cells and biomolecules using various imaging techniques.

Updated: 04/23/2008