A5049647470- Supramolecular Self-Assembly in Materials
- RNA Interference and Gene Delivery
- RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
- Nanoparticle-Based Drug Delivery
- Advanced biosensing and bioanalysis techniques
- Molecular Biology Techniques and Applications
- Computational Drug Discovery Methods
- Innovative Teaching Methods
- MicroRNA in disease regulation
- RNA modifications and cancer
- Polydiacetylene-based materials and applications
- Chemical Synthesis and Analysis
- Advanced Polymer Synthesis and Characterization
- Polymer Surface Interaction Studies
- Supramolecular Chemistry and Complexes
- Various Chemistry Research Topics
- Electrospun Nanofibers in Biomedical Applications
- RNA Research and Splicing
- Dermatologic Treatments and Research
- Graphene and Nanomaterials Applications
- Nanoplatforms for cancer theranostics
- biodegradable polymer synthesis and properties
- Microbial metabolism and enzyme function
- Cardiac Ischemia and Reperfusion
- Experimental Learning in Engineering
University of Southern Mississippi
2021-2025
Division of Molecular & Cellular Biosciences
2025
Northwestern University
2019-2024
Biomed Research Institute
2023
The University of Western Australia
2014-2023
Northwestern University
2022
Crawley Hospital
2015-2020
Pharmaxis (Australia)
2018
Murdoch University
2018
Fiona Wood Foundation
2015
The role of nanoparticles in cancer medicine is vast with debate still surrounding the distinction between therapeutic efficacy actively targeted versus passively systems for drug delivery. While it commonly accepted that methodologies result homing a high concentration loaded to tumor beneficial, intracellular trafficking these dictating overall outcome remains unresolved. Herein we demonstrate governed beyond simply enabling nanoparticle internalization cells. Using two model polymeric...
An important histological difference between normal, uninjured dermis and scar tissue such as that found in keloid scars is the pattern (morphological architecture) which collagen deposited arranged. In dermis, bundle architecture appears randomly organized (or a basket weave formation), whereas pathological conditions tissue, bundles are often whorls or hypotrophic more densely packed parallel configuration. case of skin, disables leaving it weaker, stiff with loss optimal functionality....
This Letter describes the use of CdSe quantum dots (QDs) as photocatalysts for photoinduced electron transfer reversible addition-fragmentation chain (PET-RAFT) polymerization a series aqueous acrylamides and acrylates. The high colloidal solubility photostability these QDs allowed to occur with efficiency (>90% conversion in 2.5 h), low dispersity (PDI < 1.1), ultralow catalyst loading (<0.5 ppm). protein concentrators enabled removal photocatalyst from polymer monomer tolerable metal...
Polymer nanoparticles are widely used as a highly generalizable tool to entrap range of different drugs for controlled or site-specific release. However, despite numerous studies examining the kinetics release, biological behavior such remains poorly understood, particularly with respect endocytosis and intracellular trafficking. We synthesized polyethylenimine-decorated polymer nanospheres (ca. 100-250 nm) type commonly drug release correlated electron microscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy...
Increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and elevated intracellular Ca2+ following cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury are key mediators of cell death the development hypertrophy. The L-type channel is main route for calcium influx in myocytes. Activation leads to a further increase mitochondrial ROS metabolism. We have previously shown that application peptide derived against alpha-interacting domain (AID) decreases myocardial post reperfusion. Herein, we examine efficacy...
Herein, we report the photoinitiated polymerization-induced self-assembly (photo-PISA) of spherical micelles consisting proapoptotic peptide-polymer amphiphiles. The one-pot synthetic approach yielded micellar nanoparticles at high concentrations and scale (150 mg mL-1 ) with tunable peptide loadings up to 48 wt. %. size was tuned by varying lengths hydrophobic hydrophilic building blocks. Critically, peptide-functionalized imbued "KLA" peptides (amino acid sequence: KLAKLAKKLAKLAK) two key...
Melanin is a ubiquitous natural pigment found in diverse array of organisms. Allomelanin class nitrogen-free melanin often fungi. Herein, we find artificial allomelanin analogues exhibit high intrinsic microporosity and describe an approach for further increasing tuning that porosity. Notably, the synthetic method involves oxidative polymerization 1,8-DHN water, negating need multiple complex templating steps avoiding expensive or chemical precursors. The well-defined morphologies these...
Abstract Dynamic and reversible assembly of molecules is ubiquitous in the hierarchical superstructures living systems plays a key role cellular functions. Recent work from laboratory reported on formation such peptide amphiphiles conjugated to oligonucleotides electrostatically complimentary sequences. Here, supramolecular system upon where exchange dynamics host–guest interactions between β ‐cyclodextrin adamantane lead superstructure formation. Superstructure with bundled nanoribbons...
The size and shape of polymer materials is becoming an increasingly important property in accessing new functions applications nano‐/microparticles many scientific fields. New synthetic methods have allowed unprecedented capability for the facile fabrication anisotropic shape‐defined nanomaterials. Bottom‐up approaches including: emulsion polymerization techniques, amphiphile self‐assembly, polymerization‐induced can lead to particles with precise dimensions nanoscale. Top‐down such as...
Triple negative breast cancers (TNBC) are aggressive malignancies for which chemotherapy is the only treatment option. Many TNBC acquire resistance, notably docetaxel, has been associated with overexpression of transcription factors (TFs), such as ENGRAILED1 (EN1). Here, we have developed a tumor delivery system docetaxel-PGMA-PAA-nanoparticles and interference peptides designed to specifically inhibit EN1 (EN1-iPeps). To promote specific targeting, functionalized these nanoparticles...
Noncompressible torso hemorrhage accounts for a significant portion of preventable trauma deaths. We report here on the development injectable, targeted supramolecular nanotherapeutics based peptide amphiphile (PA) molecules that are designed to target tissue factor (TF) and, therefore, selectively localize sites injury slow hemorrhage. Eight TF-targeting sequences were identified, synthesized into PA molecules, coassembled with nontargeted backbone at various weight percentages, and...
Abstract Scarring is a lifelong consequence of skin injury, with scar stiffness and poor appearance presenting physical psychological barriers to return normal life. Lysyl oxidases are family enzymes that play critical role in formation maintenance. stabilize the main component tissue, collagen, drive appearance. Here we describe development characterisation an irreversible lysyl oxidase inhibitor, PXS-6302. PXS-6302 ideally suited for treatment, readily penetrating when applied as cream...
Reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization has proven itself as a powerful technique affording facile control of molecular weight, weight distribution, architecture, and end groups - while maintaining high level tolerance for solvent monomer functional groups. RAFT is highly suited to water solvent, with aqueous now utilized applications such controlled synthesis ultra-high polymers, induced self-assembly, biocompatible polymerizations, among others. Water...
Amyloid peptides are structurally diverse materials that exhibit different properties depending on their self-assembly. While they often associated with neurodegenerative diseases, functional amyloids play important roles in nature and high relevance for biomedical applications, including remarkable strength, mechanical stability, antimicrobial antioxidant properties, low cytotoxicity, adhesion to biotic abiotic surfaces. Challenges developing amyloid biomaterials include the complexity of...
Abstract The use of nanoparticles for targeted delivery therapeutic agents to sites injury or disease in the central nervous system (CNS) holds great promise. However, biodistribution following vivo administration is often unknown, and concerns have been raised regarding potential toxicity. Using poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) coated with polyethylenimine (PEI) containing superparamagnetic iron oxide as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent rhodamine B fluorophore, whole...
The rising prevalence of cardiovascular disease worldwide necessitates novel therapeutic approaches to manage atherosclerosis. Intravenously administered nanostructures are a promising noninvasive approach deliver therapeutics that reduce plaque burden. drug liver X receptor agonist GW3965 (LXR) can atherosclerosis by promoting cholesterol efflux from but causes toxicity when systemically at effective doses, thus preventing its clinical use. ability peptide amphiphile nanofibers containing...
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia patients with a hexanucleotide repeat expansion in C9ORF72 (C9-HRE) accumulate poly-GR poly-PR aggregates. The pathogenicity of these arginine-rich dipeptide repeats (R-DPRs) is thought to be driven by their propensity bind low-complexity domains multivalent proteins. However, the ability R-DPRs native RNA significance this interaction remain unclear. Here, we used computational experimental approaches characterize physicochemical...
Bottlebrush polymers, macromolecules consisting of dense polymer side chains grafted from a central backbone, have unique properties resulting this well-defined molecular architecture. With the advent controlled radical polymerization techniques, access to these architectures has become more readily available. However, synthetic challenges remain, including need for intermediate purification, use toxic solvents, and with achieving long bottlebrush due backbone entanglements. Herein, we...
In this article, we report the development and preclinical validation of combinatorial therapy for treatment cancers using RNA interference (RNAi). RNAi technology is an attractive approach to silence genes responsible disease onset progression. Currently, critical challenge facing clinical success in difficulty delivery inducers, due low transfection efficiency, difficulties integration into host DNA unstable expression. Using macromolecule polyglycidal methacrylate (PGMA) as a platform...
The chemistry laboratory can be a daunting place for first year university students, especially those entering one the time with little or no prior experience. Increasing financial constraints placed on secondary schools has restricted ability to provide rich experiences students before tertiary education. As result, cohorts arrive at range of previous experiences. Through surveys first-year student cohort, it was identified that experienced high levels negative feelings respect laboratory....
Supramolecular biomaterials are promising systems to bind or deliver therapeutic growth factors given their great structural versatility and tunability of properties by simply mixing molecules. In this work, we have investigated approach for the factor cytokine TGFβ-1, which is potentially important in regeneration damaged cartilage prevention fibrinogenesis organs progression tumors. Our previous work identified a peptide sequence capable binding TGFβ-1 supramolecular amphiphile (PA)...
Neurotrophic factors are essential not only for guiding the organization of developing nervous system but also supporting survival and growth neurons after traumatic injury. In central (CNS), inhibitory formation a glial scar injury hinder functional recovery neurons, requiring exogenous therapies to promote regeneration. Netrin-1, neurotrophic factor, can initiate axon guidance, outgrowth, branching, as well synaptogenesis, through activation deleted in colorectal cancer (DCC) receptors. We...