9
Keynote
2020
Januar y
12-2 3
Opening Keynote lecture “Design of Nanoscale Biopolymer
Systems for Delivery of Therapeutic Agents”
DESCRIPTION
Engineering the molecular design of intelligent biomaterials by controlling structure, recognition, and specificity is the first
step in coordinating and duplicating complex biological and physiological processes. Recent developments in siRNA and
protein delivery have been directed towards the preparation of targeted formulations for protein delivery to specific sites,
use of environmentally-responsive polymers to achieve pH- or temperature-triggered delivery, usually in modulated mode,
and improvement of the behavior of their mucoadhesive behavior and cell recognition. We address the design and synthe-
sis characteristics of novel crosslinked networks capable of protein release as well as artificial molecular structures capable
of specific molecular recognition of biological molecules. Molecular imprinting and microprinting techniques, which create
stereo-specific three-dimensional binding cavities based on a biological compound of interest, can lead to the preparation
of biomimetic materials for intelligent drug delivery, drug targeting, and tissue engineering. We have been successful in
synthesizing novel glucose- and protein-binding molecules based on non-covalent directed interactions formed via molecu-
lar imprinting techniques within aqueous media. We have also developed structurally superior materials to serve as effective
carriers for siRNA delivery to combat Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis.
SPEAKER Nicholas Peppas
Professor of Chemical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin
EVENT FORMAT