The objective of this course is to introduce the students to some fundamental concepts in nanotechnology as it relates to drug delivery, and some of the applications and breakthroughs in this area as it applies to Medicine. While we will introduce and discuss a variety of nanocarriers during the semester, the main focus will be on dendrimers. Learning outcomes: (1)Recognize major nanocarriers (NC) and basic concepts used in the preparation and characterization of those NCs (2)Understand the major mechanisms for the transport of NCs across cellular barriers (3)Understand the major mechanisms of cellular uptake of NCs (4)Recognize strategies for targeting intracellular organelles with NCs (5)Apply concepts learned in (1) – (4) in the design of NCs for specific applications in Medicine (final project).
The teaching will consist of formal lectures and group-based learning.
• Students will be teamed in groups for the duration of the class. A particular nanocarrier (others that are not dendrimers) will be assigned to each group.
• After formal lecture, students will be responsible for research subject matter and collecting / reading / summarizing information parallel to that presented in the classroom, for the nanocarriers assigned to them
• Students will use time outside the classroom to prepare their final project report to be submitted by the last Wed of the month
• 1.5h/day with formal lectures, with last lecture of 3h in the last lecture, for a total of 24h.
• final report due on the fourth week
• graded reports due back to students last day before departure
The following topics in molecular cell biology and nanocarriers are expected to be discussed in this course:
• Membrane structure/dendrimers: general properties dendrimercell membrane interactions
• Intracellular compartments / dendrimers: characterization dendrimers that target cellular organelles
• Membrane and vesicular transport / dendrimers: targeting ligands endocytic transport of dendrimers
• Cell communication / dendrimers: surface-modification dendrimer transport across epithelial barriers