Regulations of Nanotechnology

Biography

Biography: Gerd Kaupp

Abstract

The use of colloidal particles for various drug delivery applications is ubiquitous in the biomedical field. However, the exact mechanisms of initial cell surfaces response to colloidal particles in the environment are not well understood. Using model lipid membranes, and soft and hard colloidal particles, we will present the interactions between cell membranes and nanoparticle based drug delivery vehicles with relevance to various different diseases. Particularly, we will demonstrate that these nanoparticles are capable of causing re-organization of lipids in model membranes, leading to the formation of lipid-raft like domains which influence cellular processes. Further, we will also demonstrate that both the physicochemical properties of the colloidal particles, as well as the composition of the model cell membranes modulate these interactions at the molecular level. A complete understanding of these interactions will enable the design of colloidal particles with the potential for therapeutic intervention at the cellular level.