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Bioscience and Pharmaceuticals
Quantum Dots, Labels and Standards
Semiconductor compounds when reduced to the nanometre size regime display
electronic structures that are characteristic of the size of the quantum dot,
including fluorescence with a colour that is tuneable by size and shape. As such
these nanomaterials are excellent candidates as labels in assays, security and
biological systems. At Reading, and with collaborators at the National Physical
Laboratory, we are developing a constant flow microreactor for the synthesis of
quantum dots with unprecedented control over size, shape and composition.
Structure Determination in Large Molecule Complexes
Structure determination in protein-protein and protein-DNA adducts and complexes
is currently an area of great interest, but the structure determination is still
slow. The group at Reading, in collaboration with the Biophysics group at the
National Physical Laboratory, is tackling this through a new technique, Confocal
Electro-Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (CEFCS). This new technique will
enable the simultaneous acquisition of both interaction dynamics and geometry
at, or near, single molecule resolution. One aim of the research is to use CEFCS
to probe the binding of carcinogens to DNA.
Protein Interactions in Biological Systems
Research at Reading focuses on the role of protein interactions with low
molecular weight co-solutes (such as surfactants, lipids and sugars). These
often form nanoscale aggregate structures of protein and co-solute that alters
the function and structure of the protein. We study the consequence of these
interactions on a protein’s interfacial properties. This is relevant to protein
adsorption in pharmaceutical (drug delivery) and biomedical applications, and in
the colloidal stabilisation in cosmetic and food systems. Proteins also form
complex structures with larger molecules, such as tannins, and these
interactions have important nutritional consequences in both animals and humans.
Nanoscale Hyperbranched Polymer Systems and Self-Assembling Macromolecular
Networks
Dendrimers are highly defined hyperbranched organic macromolecules that possess
dimensions in the 1-15 nm scale (~small proteins) and offer exciting routes to
high commodity materials. Several synthetic programmes are underway at Reading
to investigate novel dendritic polymer systems in applications such as delivery
vehicles for drugs, fragrances, and as reactive coatings or adhesives.
Dendrimers featuring defined molecular recognition motifs are being utilised as
‘templates’ in the synthesis of molecular imprinted polymers. These have
applications as novel separation media of use in either the purification of
polymers or natural substrates (i.e. proteins).
New Carriers for the Pharmaceutical Industry
In collaborations with Astrazeneca and a medical hospital, Reading has recently
developed new colloidal but highly porous nano-composites of a controlled
dimension, which can carry protein(s), enzyme(s), drug molecules and
radioisotopes either inside the core or on the external coating: These new type
of nanosize composites allow site isolation, accessibility as good as free
molecules in solution and recovery and reusability upon separation. They hold
great promises in drug delivery, high throughput screening of physicochemical
parameters and imaging/therapeutic treatments.
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