Nanomedicine Commons^™

Synthesis Of Antibody Functionalized Polyaniline/Polystyrene/N-Gqds Composite Fibermats For Sweat Based Cortisol Biosensing Applications, Ashwin James

Honors Theses

Noninvasive, wearable biosensors capable of detecting stress biomarkers in sweat require electrodes that are flexible, conductive, insoluble in water, and highly sensitive at low concentrations of analyte. In this work, bovine serum albumin blocked and anti-cmab immobilized nitrogen doped graphene quantum dots integrated polyaniline/polystyrene composite fibermat electrodes (BSA/Anti-Cmab/N-GQDs/PANI/PS electrodes) were synthesized and evaluated as a potential platform for an electrochemical cortisol biosensor in sweat based systems. Polyaniline was utilized in order to provide electrical conductivity, while polystyrene served as a carrying polymer for mechanical support and its hydrophobicity. Composite fibermats were manufactured through Forcespinning™, followed by a secondary polyaniline graft …

Development Of Metal-Organic Framework-Based Formulation For Cancer Therapeutics, Kaitlyn D. Ybanez, Rahul Tiwari, Joel De Los Santos, Tarun Minocha, Bianca Jimenez, Subhash Chauhan, Murali Yallapu

Research Colloquium

Background: Novel hydrogel-based drug delivery systems integrating 𝛾-cyclodextrin metal-organic frameworks (𝛾-CD-MOFs) have recently been developed to overcome the hydrophobicity and poor bioavailability of certain chemotherapeutic drugs. Thermosensitive Pluronic F-127 hydrogels can deliver 𝛾-CD-MOFs to target sites, promoting sustained and regulated drug release, especially for mucosal adhesion scenarios as warranted in cervical cancer. This study presents the development of a formulation that encapsulates curcumin, a model anticancer agent, into a Pluronic F-127 Hydrogel + 𝛾-CD-MOFs to enhance dispersion and enable sitespecific gelation at physiological temperatures (37°C).

Methods: Curcumin-loaded 𝛾-CD-MOFs were synthesized by dissolving 𝛾-CD (1.0 mmol, 1.30 g) and KOH …

Smart Hydrogels For Infection Control, Varaprasad Kokkarachedu, Matías Araneda Cistemas, Nicolás Nicolás Valdés Gangas

Research Symposium

Background: Infection control is a critical area of concern in healthcare, mainly owing to the rising incidence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Traditional antibacterial agents often face challenges, such as limited efficacy, toxicity, and the potential for resistance development. This necessitates innovative approaches to combat infections. Hydrogels are biocompatible hydrophilic polymeric materials that can deliver nanomedicines with complications. They have emerged as promising candidates for infection control applications. Incorporating nanotoxicity nanomaterials, especially curcumin-layered silver nanoparticles, significantly enhances the antibacterial properties of hydrogels, making them promising candidates for infection control applications.

Methods: The smart antimicrobial hydrogels were synthesised from Poluronic and curcumin-layered polyvinylpyrrolidone/silver …

Reconstitution Of Mirna-205 In Docetaxel Resistant Prostate Cancer Cells: A Nanotherapeutic Approach, Neeraj Chauhan, Eswara Naga Hanuma Kumar Ghali, Rahul Tiwari, Iris Enriquez, Rajasekhar Baru, Subhash C. Chauhan, Murali M. Yallapu

Research Symposium

Background: Prostate cancer (PrCa) is the second most diagnosed cancer and cause of death in men globally. Docetaxel (Dtxl) based first line chemotherapy is the main available therapeutic choice for PrCa patients. However, most (almost all) patients develop resistance to Dtxl treatment, making it difficult to treat such patients with no effective adjuvant therapy. Although cabazitaxel may be used to treat these patients, it is associated with many severe side effects including low white blood cells and allergic reactions. Therefore, finding an alternative strategy to reduce Dtxl resistance is of high importance for treating PrCa. miR-205 is a widely studied …

Development Of Liposomes Using Microfluids For Delivery Of Mir-205, Victoria Herrera, Rahul Tiwari, Meghana Kolli, Neeraj Chauhan, Amber M. Garza, Eswara Naga Hanuma Kumar Ghali, Subhash C. Chauhan, Murali Yallapu

Research Symposium

Background: The therapeutic application of microRNA(s) in the field of cancer has generated significant attention in research. miR-205 is a tumor suppressor in various cancers. However, the delivery of miR-205 is an unmet clinical need. Thus, the development of liposomal formulation platform to deliver miR-205 is highly sought. The most common applications of liposome formulations are vaccines and anticancer formulations (e.g., mRNA, small molecule drugs). However, large-scale production with precise control of size and size distribution of the lipid-based drug delivery systems (DDSs) is one of the major challenges in the pharmaceutical industry. The objective of this study is to …

Development Of Targeted Drug Delivery System To Improve Immunotherapy In Pancreatic Cancer, Poornima Devi Shaji, Ana Martinez Bulnes, Nirnoy Dan, Subhash C. Chauhan, Sheema Khan, Murali M. Yallapu

Research Colloquium

Introduction: About 95% of tumor arises from epithelial cell lining ducts known to be pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas, with less than 5-7% survival rate. Unfortunately, little progress has been seen in the outcomes of patients with PDAC as tumor develops high desmoplasia and chemo-resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs, such as gemcitabine (Gem). Immunotherapy has shown promising results in other cancers but limited response in pancreatic cancer due to desmoplasia and fibrotic tumor microenvironment. A recently identified mucin, MUC13 is aberrantly expressed in pancreatic tumors but not in normal pancreas. Due to its high membrane expression, MUC13 may serve as an excellent target …

Novel Therapy Targeting Mutant-Krasg12d And Galectin-1 In Pancreatic Cancer, Ana I. Martinez Bulnes, Nirnoy Dan, Poornima Devi Shaji, Swathi Holla, Murali M. Yallapu, Sheema Khan

Research Colloquium

Introduction: Although, surgical resection and chemotherapy are the gold standard for treating Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC), low patient survival rate remains the problem. The activating point mutation of the KRAS on codon-12 is present in 70–95% of PDAC cases and so far, no success has been achieved to inhibit KRAS. KRASG12D regulates cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis. Recent preliminary and published studies show high Galectin-1 (Gal-1) levels in both pancreatic cancer and stromal cells, which modulate tumor microenvironment and metastasis. Additionally, genetic deletion of gal1 inhibits metastasis and improves survival in KRAS mouse model of PDAC (1). Therefore, our objective is …

Developing A Chlorophyll-Based Near-Infrared Fluorescent Probe For Cancer Cell Imaging, Benilde E. Adriano, Nycol M. Cotto, Neeraj Chauhan, Meena Jaggi, Subhash C. Chauhan, Murali M. Yallapu

Research Colloquium

Introduction: Near-Infrared (NIR) fluorescence-based imaging is a noteworthy and safer strategy for cancer cells/tissues imaging compared to radiological imaging. NIR fluorescence offers deep tissue penetration and have minimal obstruction by autofluorescence and photon scattering [1]. There are several NIR dyes including indocyanine green (ICG) [2] and IR-1061 [3] that allow high-resolution tissue imaging. However, these dyes possess some low-quality characteristics which limit their use, namely photo instability, toxicity, poor water solubility, and short half-lives [4]. Therefore, more efficient and effective alternatives are urgently required to provide the desired clinical outcomes. Chlorophyll (Chl) is a natural dietary NIR fluorescence emitting …

Novel Therapy Targeting Mutant-Krasg12d And Galectin-1 In Pancreatic Cancer, Ana I. Martinez Bulnes, Poornima Devi Shaji, Swathi Holla, Nirnoy Dan, Shabnam Malik, Murali M. Yallapu, Meena Jaggi, Stephen W. Behrman, Subhash C. Chauhan, Sheema Khan

Research Colloquium

Introduction: In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), low patient survival rate remains a problem. The activating point mutation of KRAS on codon-12 is present in 70–95% of PDAC cases and so far, no success has been achieved to inhibit KRAS. KRAS^G12D regulates cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis; recent preliminary and published studies show high Galectin-1 (Gal-1) levels in both PDAC and stromal cells, which modulate tumor microenvironment and metastasis. Therefore, we have developed a novel combination therapy for PDAC by targeting mutated KRAS^G12D and Gal-1 to target both proliferation and metastasis in PDAC. This includes the delivery of KRAS^{G12D …}

Smoking And Drinking Activates Nf-Κb /Il-6 Axis To Promote Inflammation During Cervical Carcinogenesis, Vivek Kumar Kashyap, Prashanth Kb Nagesh, Ajay K. Singh, Andrew Massey, Godwin P. Darkwah, Murali M. Yallapu, Meena Jaggi, Subhash C. Chauhan

Research Symposium

Background: High-risk strains of HPV are known to cause cervical cancer. Multiple clinical studies have emphasized that smoking and drinking are critical risk factors for cervical cancer and its high-grade precursors. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms involved in the interplay of smoking and/or drinking with HPV infectivity and defined a systematic therapeutic approach for their attenuation in cervical cancer.

Methods: The impact of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) and/or ethanol (EtOH) exposure on cervical cancer cells was assessed by measuring changes in cell proliferation, clonogenicity, biophysical properties, cell migration, and invasion. Expression of HPV16 E6/E7, NF-κB, cytokines, cell cycle, and …

Development And Evaluation Of A Nanofiber Membrane In Vitro As A Therapeutic Alternative For The Post Treatment In Breast Cancer Cell In A Murine Model, Bruno A. Valades-Aguilar, Diana Ginette Zarate-Triviño, José Raúl Rángel-López, Moises Armides Franco-Molina, Jorge Luis Menchaca-Arredondo, María Cristina Rodríguez-Padilla

Research Symposium

Worldwide female breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer, with an estimated 2.3 million new cases in 2020, reason for the need of targeted therapies that can maximize treatment success and minimize toxicity. Nanoparticles of gold (AuNps) exhibit cytotoxic properties against certain types of cancer cell lines. Nanofibers have been use in the drug delivery systems due to its degradability and high surface area. We proposed a membrane with nanometric fibers using polivinilic alcohol (PVA) and chitosan (Qts) loaded with AuNps and Doxorubicin (Doxo) with the purpose of diminish tumor regression.

PVA-Qts membrane was develop with electrospinning, the injection, …

Understanding Nanoparticle Toxicity To Direct A Safe-By-Design Approach In Cancer Nanomedicine, Jossana A. Damasco, Saisree Ravi, Joy D. Perez, Daniel E. Hagaman, Marites P. Melancon

School of Medicine Publications

Nanomedicine is a rapidly growing field that uses nanomaterials for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of various diseases, including cancer. Various biocompatible nanoplatforms with diversified capabilities for tumor targeting, imaging, and therapy have materialized to yield individualized therapy. However, due to their unique properties brought about by their small size, safety concerns have emerged as their physicochemical properties can lead to altered pharmacokinetics, with the potential to cross biological barriers. In addition, the intrinsic toxicity of some of the inorganic materials (i.e., heavy metals) and their ability to accumulate and persist in the human body has been a challenge to …