[Che-student-staff-list] Grad Seminar Announcement -March 20

[Ewing, Virginia G]

Purdue University
School of Chemical Engineering
GRADUATE SEMINAR SERIES

Hoyoung Lee
Purdue University


"Polymer Nanotechnology Towards Improving Gene Delivery Vector Design"

March 20, 2012
9:00-10:15 a.m.
FRNY G140

Reception at 10:15 AM in Henson Atrium

Abstract:    The use of genetic materials (e.g., DNA and siRNA) for correcting disease-causing genes holds great potential to cure many human diseases ranging from cystic fibrosis to cancer to AIDS. However, the lack of safe and efficient gene delivery methodology remains one of the biggest challenges in transforming this idea of gene therapy into practical medicine. To address this challenge, our research focuses on applying the knowledge of polymer nanotechnology to improve our fundamental understanding of the pathway through which current gene delivery vectors are transported into cells. The ultimate goal of our research is to apply our understanding to the development of improved gene delivery vectors.
      In this presentation, I will present the following subjects. Firstly, I will present our work on understanding the relationship between the proton-absorbing properties of polycation-based vectors and their endosomal escape kinetics. Two model polycation systems will be compared in terms of the proton-absorbing capacity and endosomal escape kinetics. This comparison will demonstrate that the proton-absorbing properties are not directly correlated with the endosomal escape kinetics, and thus the proton-sponge effect is not the only contributing factor to the endosomal escape process. Secondly, I will present our new material development towards understanding the interrelationship between the intracellular location of DNA release and the nuclear entry/transcription level. Our research explores a novel approach that enables the release of loaded DNA at a desired intracellular location and time using a novel block copolymer micelle which is, by UV exposure, destabilized for the DNA release. Our characterization results will be presented to demonstrate this proof of concept. Lastly, I will present our X-ray and neutron reflectivity studies on the conformation of tethered PEG chains. It will be shown that PEG chains are not hydrophilic when they exist as polymer brush chains. This finding will give some insight into why the PEG brush coating ("PEGylation") in water in general so effective in preventing aggregation of the coated particles.

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