Microfluidics as technological platform for production of nanoparticles, nanoaggregates, and their complexes with genetic material

• Grant number: 17/08636-2
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): September 01, 2017
• Effective date (End): February 29, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering
• Principal researcher: Lucimara Gaziola de la Torre
• Grantee: Amanda da Costa e Silva de Noronha Pessoa
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Química (FEQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 18/05278-0 - Lipids-coated microbubbles produced via microfluidics for ultrasonic imaging and gene delivery applications, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

The use of vectors as drug and gene delivery systems, such as lipid and polymeric nanocarriers, provided the development for alternative treatments of various diseases in the fields of vaccine and gene therapy. Moreover, nanocarriers' functionalization with peptides facilitate cellular uptake of carrier/DNA complexes through surface receptors which are expressed in specific tumor cells. Among the production processes, microfluidic platforms allow the synthesis of carrier systems with adequate properties for biological assays, overcoming obstacles that are usually found in conventional techniques. In this context, the main goals of this research project are the development of microfluidic processes for production of (i) polymeric nanocarriers, more specifically of chitosan nanoparticles through ionic gelation with crosslinking agent sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP); (ii) third generation liposome nanocarriers, with surface ligands for active targeting; and (iii) solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) complexes with DNA. To enhance transfection efficiency through specific targeting, the nanocarriers will be functionalized with cyclic peptides based on the sequence arginine, glycine and aspartate (cRGD), which are selective for cell surface receptors of integrins expressed in tumor cells. Applying different microfluidic geometries, based on hydrodynamic focusing, the complexes formed of nanocarriers and DNA will be evaluated by means of their physicochemical characteristics and transfection efficiency. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

PERLI, GABRIEL; PESSOA, AMANDA C. S. N.; BALBINO, TIAGO A.; DE LA TORRE, LUCIMARA G. Ionic strength for tailoring the synthesis of monomodal stealth cationic liposomes in microfluidic devices. COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES, v. 179, p. 233-241, JUL 1 2019. Web of Science Citations: 0.