Core-shell nanoparticle from polymers with pendant cyclodextrins. A better drug delivery system will be developed for the treatment of cancer with albendazole. These nanoparticles enhance the circulation time in the body, but also facilitate the delivery of the drug to the site of the tumour, which will increase the efficacy of the treatment. The nanoparticles are obtained by processing polymers with pendant cyclodextrin groups, which are a type of complex sugars. Aim of this work is the explora ....Core-shell nanoparticle from polymers with pendant cyclodextrins. A better drug delivery system will be developed for the treatment of cancer with albendazole. These nanoparticles enhance the circulation time in the body, but also facilitate the delivery of the drug to the site of the tumour, which will increase the efficacy of the treatment. The nanoparticles are obtained by processing polymers with pendant cyclodextrin groups, which are a type of complex sugars. Aim of this work is the exploration of synthetic routes to generate nanoparticles. Tailoring the underpinning polymer structure of these nanoparticles will allow the optimisation of the release of albendazole from the drug carrier, thus improving cancer treatment.Read moreRead less
Synthesis of stimuli-responsive star polymers for controlled drug delivery. The project aims to prepare novel star polymers suitable for drug delivery via controlled radical polymerization techniques. Such star polymers can be employed to release drugs within the human body in a controlled manner over time and are thus able to target specific sites, i.e. a tumor. The release characterisitics are be influenced by the structure and the size of the star polymer, which can easily be altered via cont ....Synthesis of stimuli-responsive star polymers for controlled drug delivery. The project aims to prepare novel star polymers suitable for drug delivery via controlled radical polymerization techniques. Such star polymers can be employed to release drugs within the human body in a controlled manner over time and are thus able to target specific sites, i.e. a tumor. The release characterisitics are be influenced by the structure and the size of the star polymer, which can easily be altered via controlled radical polymerization techniques. These novel stars are expected to improve the release kinetics of the drug comparing to similar structured micelles due to their higher stability upon injection.Read moreRead less
Functionalised nanostructured polythiophenes: novel platforms for bionics. The nanostructured organic polymer materials targeted for production in this project will bring unique capabilities to the field of muscle regeneration. A multi-modal stimulation platform is expected to bring significant improvements in muscle cell growth. This will have profound effects on the quality of life for those suffering from neuromuscular disorders or other traumas that require muscle regeneration. This project ....Functionalised nanostructured polythiophenes: novel platforms for bionics. The nanostructured organic polymer materials targeted for production in this project will bring unique capabilities to the field of muscle regeneration. A multi-modal stimulation platform is expected to bring significant improvements in muscle cell growth. This will have profound effects on the quality of life for those suffering from neuromuscular disorders or other traumas that require muscle regeneration. This project will demonstrate the capabilities of these nanostructures in-vitro.Read moreRead less
Degradable hollow microspheres for liver cancer treatment. The expected outcome of this multidisciplinary approach is a controlled drug delivery system for the treatment of liver cancer. We aim to increase the understanding of drug release using polymeric microspheres and the influence of the polymer properties on the release kinetics resulting in the tailored drug release for liver cancer treatment. An indepth knowledge in drug delivery can lead to optimised release kinetics leding to an increa ....Degradable hollow microspheres for liver cancer treatment. The expected outcome of this multidisciplinary approach is a controlled drug delivery system for the treatment of liver cancer. We aim to increase the understanding of drug release using polymeric microspheres and the influence of the polymer properties on the release kinetics resulting in the tailored drug release for liver cancer treatment. An indepth knowledge in drug delivery can lead to optimised release kinetics leding to an increased patient convenience and life prolonging treatments.Read moreRead less
Multivalent drug delivery carrier for the targeted delivery of platinum anticancer agents to hepatocytes. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is often treated with chemotherapy using cytotoxic drugs. This systemic treatment results in the distribution of the drug throughout the body. Employing a polymer particle as a drug carrier for these drugs ensures a temporal control of the release and therefore supply of the drug within the body. By attaching carbohydrate moieties onto the surface of the polyme ....Multivalent drug delivery carrier for the targeted delivery of platinum anticancer agents to hepatocytes. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is often treated with chemotherapy using cytotoxic drugs. This systemic treatment results in the distribution of the drug throughout the body. Employing a polymer particle as a drug carrier for these drugs ensures a temporal control of the release and therefore supply of the drug within the body. By attaching carbohydrate moieties onto the surface of the polymer particle the drug carrier can specifically be recognized by cell receptors, thus allowing a targeted delivery of the drug to the desired area in the body. A range of carbohydrate-based drug carriers will be synthesized and tested towards their interaction with hepatocytes to allow optimisation of this drug carrier system.
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Development and Evaluation of Well-Defined Polymer-RNA Conjugates as Improved Therapeutics. Gene-based drugs offer an enormous potential to treat a wide range of diseases including, but not limited to, AIDS, hepatitis, and cancer. However, effective delivery of these drugs in body is needed to convert their therapeutic potential to clinically applicable treatments. Our multidisciplinary team will aim to develop novel, polymer-gene hybrid materials for efficient delivery of gene based therapeuti ....Development and Evaluation of Well-Defined Polymer-RNA Conjugates as Improved Therapeutics. Gene-based drugs offer an enormous potential to treat a wide range of diseases including, but not limited to, AIDS, hepatitis, and cancer. However, effective delivery of these drugs in body is needed to convert their therapeutic potential to clinically applicable treatments. Our multidisciplinary team will aim to develop novel, polymer-gene hybrid materials for efficient delivery of gene based therapeutics. Development of such advanced drug delivery systems will significantly enhance Australia`s power in biotechnology. Development and/or formation of new materials and strategies to improve the health quality of Australians, is an important anticipated outcome of this innovative project. Read moreRead less
Novel Drug Delivery Systems. The polymer based structures targeted for production in this project will bring unique capabilities to the field of drug delivery. A multi-drug delivery platform is expected to bring significant improvements in administering therapeutic drugs for a wide range of illnesses and applications. This will have profound effects on the quality of life for those suffering from epilepsy or requiring stent implants. Here we will demonstrate the capabilities of these novel polym ....Novel Drug Delivery Systems. The polymer based structures targeted for production in this project will bring unique capabilities to the field of drug delivery. A multi-drug delivery platform is expected to bring significant improvements in administering therapeutic drugs for a wide range of illnesses and applications. This will have profound effects on the quality of life for those suffering from epilepsy or requiring stent implants. Here we will demonstrate the capabilities of these novel polymer structures both in-vitro and in-vivo.Read moreRead less
Platinum drugs containing core-shell nanoparticles. Many drugs such as cancer drugs contain metal ions. While the therapeutic benefits of metal containing drugs are highly promising, their administration is often accompanied by substantial side effects. Encapsulation of these drugs into nano-sized core-shell particles will prolong the circulation of the drug and therefore reduce the amount of repeated administrations. In addition, the shape and nature of the particle will enable the targeted del ....Platinum drugs containing core-shell nanoparticles. Many drugs such as cancer drugs contain metal ions. While the therapeutic benefits of metal containing drugs are highly promising, their administration is often accompanied by substantial side effects. Encapsulation of these drugs into nano-sized core-shell particles will prolong the circulation of the drug and therefore reduce the amount of repeated administrations. In addition, the shape and nature of the particle will enable the targeted delivery of these drug loaded nanocarriers to the tumor while healthy tissue remains unaffected. Read moreRead less