Briana Simms, PhD
Evaluation of Self-Assembling Dendrimer-Lipid Nanoparticles as Vehicles for Targeted Drug Delivery
Abstract
Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have shown promise for translation to clinical settings as vehicles for drug delivery, although they still require improvement in the realm of overall stability, drug loading capacity and efficacy, and targeted delivery. We developed a library of self-assembling dendrimer-lipid hybrid macromolecules (DLs). These nano-sized carriers have high loading capacities and can traffic into specific tissues based on their structural composition. The work here aims to provide a framework for the strategic design of LNPs by providing an opportunity to understand how small structural changes to materials influences the final fate of LNP systems. Through the combined efforts and skillsets of the Simms and Douglas-Green labs (at the University of Cincinnati and Georgia Institute of Technology, respectively), we will provide critical information that can inform the design process for the next generation of LNP systems.
This funding means that I get to design and develop a new generation of lipid nanomaterials alongside my friend and colleague, while empowering the next generation of stem scholars. It’s truly the best of all worlds.
