ORCID Profile
0000-0003-3696-7267
Current Organisations
Geological Survey of Canada Atlantic
,
University of Queensland
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Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 15-06-2011
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 11-03-2013
DOI: 10.1038/SREP01415
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2012
DOI: 10.1016/J.JCIS.2012.03.014
Abstract: A new and facile approach has been developed to prepare monodisperse mesoporous silica nanospheres (MMSNs) with controlled particle sizes and pore structures. In our approach, MMSNs were synthesized simply in a sodium acetate solution without adding any other alkali or alcohol additives. MMSNs have a spherical shape and uniform particle sizes, which can be adjusted from 50 to 110 nm by increasing the reaction temperature from 40 to 80 °C. By performing a subsequent hydrothermal treatment (HT) under basic condition (pH=~11.5) at 130 °C, the mesoporous pore volume and surface area can be enhanced, while keeping the mono-dispersion characteristics and the mesopore size almost unchanged. The pore sizes of MMSNs can be adjusted from 2.8 to 4.0 nm under acidic solutions by changing the HT temperature from 100 to 130 °C. The formation process of MMSNs has been investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) techniques. A spherical micelle templating mechanism is proposed to explain the formation of MMSNs in our system, which is different from that of traditional highly ordered mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MCM-41).
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 02-05-2017
DOI: 10.1021/JACS.6B12622
Abstract: Asymmetric mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) with controllable head-tail structures have been successfully synthesized. The head particle type is tunable (solid or porous), and the tail has dendritic large pores. The tail length and tail coverage on head particles are adjustable. Compared to spherical silica nanoparticles with a solid structure (Stöber spheres) or large-pore symmetrical MSNs with fully covered tails, asymmetrical head-tail MSNs (HTMSNs) show superior hemocompatibility due to reduced membrane deformation of red blood cells and decreased level of reactive oxygen species. Moreover, compared to Stöber spheres, asymmetrical HTMSNs exhibit a higher level of uptake and in vitro maturation of immune cells including dendritic cells and macrophage. This study has provided a new family of nanocarriers with potential applications in vaccine development and immunotherapy.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 12-2017
DOI: 10.1021/JACS.7B08974
Abstract: Plasmid DNA molecules with unique loop structures have widespread bioapplications, in many cases relying heavily on delivery vehicles to introduce them into cells and achieve their functions. Herein, we demonstrate that control over delicate nanotopography of silica nanoparticles as plasmid DNA vectors has significant impact on the transfection efficacy. For silica nanoparticles with rambutan-, raspberry-, and flower-like morphologies composed of spike-, hemisphere-, and bowl-type subunit nanotopographies, respectively, the rambutan-like nanoparticles with spiky surfaces demonstrate the highest plasmid DNA binding capability and transfection efficacy of 88%, higher than those reported for silica-based nanovectors. Moreover, it is shown that the surface spikes of rambutan nanoparticles provide a continuous open space to bind DNA chains via multivalent interactions and protect the gene molecules sheltered in the spiky layer against nuclease degradation, exhibiting no significant transfection decay. This unique protection feature is in great contrast to a commercial transfection agent with similar transfection performance but poor protection capability against enzymatic cleavage. Our study provides new understandings in the rational design of nonviral vectors for efficient gene delivery.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2023
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 04-2010
Abstract: The cooperative self-assembly of organic–inorganic siliceous composite structures has been studied from the aspect of inorganic precursors. We reveal that the vesicular or mesostructured materials can be obtained selectively by just changing the silica sources in one templating system. For poly(ethylene oxide)-type block copolymers with either poly(propylene oxide) or poly(butylene oxide) as the hydrophobic moieties, when the other synthesis parameters are exactly the same, the use of tetramethyl orthosilicate (TMOS) as a silica source gives rise to highly ordered mesostructures, while the use of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) leads to vesicles or foams. The attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) technique is used to monitor the silicate species derived from the hydrolysis and condensation of TMOS and TEOS as a function of the reaction time. On the basis of the ATR-FTIR results, we propose a “differentiating effect” at relatively high pH (4.7) to interpret the influence of different silica sources on the self-organized composite structures. For comparison, a “leveling effect” at relatively low pH (strong acidic conditions) is revealed to explain that both TMOS and TEOS lead to the same mesostructures. Our contribution provides a feasible and designable method to synthesize from conventional ordered mesostructures to novel vesicular structures, which are significant for their future practical applications.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 15-12-2016
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1039/C8QM00078F
Abstract: Benzene-bridged dendritic mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles significantly improve the catalytic activity and stability of lipase.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 15-08-2013
Abstract: Novel silica nanoparticles mimicking virus surface topography are prepared. It is demonstrated that increases in nanoscale surface roughness promote both binding of biomolecules and cellular uptake thus, the cellular delivery efficiency is significantly increased (scale bars 20 μm).
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2016
DOI: 10.1039/C6TB00053C
Abstract: Small-sized silica nanoparticles with large dendritic mesopores demonstrate a superior antimicrobial enzyme delivery efficacy with long-term bacterial inhibition.
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2019
DOI: 10.1039/C9QM00375D
Abstract: Engineered mesoporous silica materials shows promising potential for continuous biodiesel production.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 10-11-2016
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 26-09-2016
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 25-01-2016
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2017
DOI: 10.1016/J.CHEMOSPHERE.2016.09.083
Abstract: Rattle-type magnetic mesoporous hollow carbon (RMMHC) materials have shown great promise as adsorbents for water treatment. In this work, we report a surfactant-free synthesis of RMMHC nanoparticles (NPs) using magnetite NPs as the core, tetrapropyl orthosilicate, resorcinol and formaldehyde to form the shell followed by carbonization and selective silica etching. The pore size, specific surface area and pore volume of RMMHC NPs can be tuned by varying the carbonization temperature (500, 700 and 900 °C). At the optimized temperature of 700 °C, the RMMHC NPs possess the highest specific surface area of 579 m
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 29-05-2017
Abstract: Mesoporous silica nanoparticles are reported as adjuvants in nanovaccines in generating robust antigen-specific immunity. However, the effect of surface chemistry in initiating and modulating the immune response remains largely unexplored. In this study, mesoporous silica nanorods (MSNRs) are modified with NH
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 28-08-2015
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2015
DOI: 10.1039/C5NR02389K
Abstract: Mesoporous carbon nanoparticles with large and tunable pore sizes have been synthesized through a soft-templating/sphere packing route.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2021
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2015
DOI: 10.1039/C5TB01405K
Abstract: Silica nanoparticles with controllable surface roughness have been successfully prepared for therapeutic anti-pAkt antibody delivery.
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1039/C8TB00544C
Abstract: Dendritic mesoporous silica nanoparticles with a small diameter (∼50 nm) and a large pore size ( nm) are synthesized at room temperature for intracellular mRNA delivery.
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1039/C7TB02836A
Abstract: This work reports the significance of the carbonisation temperature of mesoporous carbon hollow spheres (MCHS) in therapeutic protein delivery.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 15-05-2013
DOI: 10.1021/JA402463H
Abstract: A facile vacuum-assisted vapor deposition process has been developed to control the pore size of ordered mesoporous silica materials in a stepwise manner with angstrom precision, providing an unprecedented paradigm for screening a designer hydrophobic drug nanocarrier with optimized pore diameter to maximize drug solubility.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 10-12-2015
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 28-12-2015
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2015
DOI: 10.1039/C5NR02769A
Abstract: Fluorescent mesoporous hollow silica–fullerene nanoparticles with particle sizes of ∼50 nm have been successfully prepared, showing excellent performance in combined chemo-photodynamic therapy.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 31-08-2015
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 13-05-2016
DOI: 10.1021/JACS.6B00243
Abstract: Nature's creations with spiky topological features typically exhibit intriguing surface adhesive properties. From micrometer-sized pollen grains that can easily stick to hairy insects for pollination to nanoscale virus particles that are highly infectious toward host cells, multivalent interactions are formed taking advantage of rough surfaces. Herein, this nature-inspired concept is employed to develop novel drug delivery nanocarriers for antimicrobial applications. A facile new approach is developed to fabricate silica nanopollens (mesoporous silica nanospheres with rough surfaces), which show enhanced adhesion toward bacteria surfaces compared to their counterparts with smooth surfaces. Lysozyme, a natural antimicrobial enzyme, is loaded into silica nanopollens and shows sustained release behavior, potent antimicrobial activity, and long-term total bacterial inhibition up to 3 days toward Escherichia coli. The potent antibacterial activity of lysozyme-loaded silica nanopollens is further demonstrated ex vivo by using a small-intestine infection model. Our strategy provides a novel pathway in the rational design of nanocarriers for efficient drug delivery.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 03-08-2016
Abstract: Intracellular delivery of proteins is a promising strategy of intervention in disease, which relies heavily on the development of efficient delivery platforms due to the cell membrane impermeability of native proteins, particularly for negatively charged large proteins. This work reports a vesicle supra-assembly approach to synthesize novel amine-functionalized hollow dendritic mesoporous silica nanospheres (A-HDMSN). An amine silica source is introduced into a water-oil reaction solution prior to the addition of conventional silica source tetraethylorthosilicate. This strategy favors the formation of composite vesicles as the building blocks which further assemble into the final product. The obtained A-HDMSN have a cavity core of ≈170 nm, large dendritic mesopores of 20.7 nm in the shell and high pore volume of 2.67 cm
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2021
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 11-09-2017
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 24-07-2014
Abstract: A rationally designed two-step synthesis of silica vesicles is developed with the formation of vesicular structure in the first step and fine control over the entrance size by tuning the temperature in the second step. The silica vesicles have a uniform size of ≈50 nm with excellent cellular uptake performance. When the entrance size is equal to the wall thickness, silica vesicles after hydrophobic modification show the highest loading amount (563 mg/g) towards Ribonuclease A with a sustained release behavior. Consequently, the silica vesicles are excellent nano-carriers for cellular delivery applications of therapeutical biomolecules.
Publisher: The Chemical Society of Japan
Date: 05-03-2014
DOI: 10.1246/CL.130930
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 08-09-2014
DOI: 10.1021/AM503060N
Abstract: A novel approach has been developed to prepare polyethylenimine functionalized hybrid silica spheres with a diameter of ∼10 nm, which show excellent delivery efficiency of siRNA into osteosarcoma cancer cells and human colon cancer cells with a significant cell inhibition comparable to commercial agents.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 02-02-2016
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2014
DOI: 10.1039/C3RA44257H
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2013
DOI: 10.1039/C2NR32145A
Abstract: In this paper, a targeted drug delivery system has been developed based on hyaluronic acid (HA) modified mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs). HA-MSNs possess a specific affinity to CD44 over-expressed on the surface of a specific cancer cell line, HCT-116 (human colon cancer cells). The cellular uptake performance of fluorescently labelled MSNs with and without HA modification has been evaluated by confocal microscopy and fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis. Compared to bare MSNs, HA-MSNs exhibit a higher cellular uptake via HA receptor mediated endocytosis. An anticancer drug, doxorubicin hydrochloride (Dox), has been loaded into MSNs and HA-MSNs as drug delivery vehicles. Dox loaded HA-MSNs show greater cytotoxicity to HCT-116 cells than free Dox and Dox-MSNs due to the enhanced cell internalization behavior of HA-MSNs. It is expected that HA-MSNs have a great potential in targeted delivery of anticancer drugs to CD44 over-expressing tumors.
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2014
DOI: 10.1039/C3TB21015D
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2021
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 20-06-2017
Abstract: Multifunctional core-shell-structured dendritic mesoporous silica nanoparticles with a fullerene-doped silica core, a dendritic silica shell and large pores have been prepared. The combination of photodynamic therapy and antibody therapeutics significantly inhibits the cancer cell growth by effectively reducing the level of anti-apoptotic proteins.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2023
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2016
DOI: 10.1039/C5TB01911G
Abstract: The contribution of the surface roughness and hydrophobic modification of silica nanoparticles to enhanced therapeutic protein delivery, including adsorption, sustained release, cellular uptake and endo/lysosomal escape.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2015
Publisher: Natural Resources Canada/CMSS/Information Management
Date: 2003
DOI: 10.4095/213985
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2015
DOI: 10.1039/C4RA12553C
Abstract: The Temperature-controlled phase transformation from hexagonal mesostructure silica (HMS) to macroporous ordered siliceous foams (MOSF). HMS and MOSF exhibit higher VOCs removal capacity and recyclability compared to silica gel and activated carbon.
Publisher: IOP Publishing
Date: 09-01-2014
DOI: 10.1088/0957-4484/25/5/055701
Abstract: The development of functional nanocarriers that can enhance the cellular delivery of a variety of nucleic acid agents is important in many biomedical applications such as siRNA therapy. We report the synthesis of large pore mesoporous silica nanoparticles (LPMSN) loaded with iron oxide and covalently modified by polyethyleneimine (denoted PEI-Fe-LPMSN) as carriers for gene delivery. The LPMSN have a particle size of ∼200 nm and a large pore size of 11 nm. The large pore size is essential for the formation of large iron oxide nanoparticles to increase the magnetic properties and the adsorption capacity of siRNA molecules. The magnetic property facilitates the cellular uptake of nanocarriers under an external magnetic field. PEI is covalently grafted on the silica surface to enhance the nanocarriers' affinity against siRNA molecules and to improve gene silencing performance. The PEI-Fe-LPMSN delivered siRNA-PLK1 effectively into osteosarcoma cancer cells, leading to cell viability inhibition of 80%, higher compared to the 50% reduction when the same dose of siRNA was delivered by a commercial product, oligofectamine.
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2014
DOI: 10.1039/C3CC48416E
Abstract: A facile approach has been developed to prepare ultra-small hybrid silica spheres with a diameter of ∼10 nm, which show highly enhanced penetration ability in 3D glioma spheroids compared to conventional mesoporous silica nanoparticles.
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2017
DOI: 10.1039/C7TB00244K
Abstract: This review focuses on recent advances in silica-based nanoparticles (SiNPs) as therapeutic protein carriers for disease and cancer treatment.
Publisher: American Scientific Publishers
Date: 2010
Abstract: Various siliceous nanostructures have been successfully synthesized through the co-organization of organic molecules and inorganic silica source under mild pH conditions (pH approximately 5). A biodegradable block copolymer P123 [EO20PO70EO20, EO is poly (ethylene oxide), PO is poly (propylene oxide)] is employed as a marcomolecular template and Na2SiO39H2O as a silica source. By changing the concentrations of the reactants and/or reaction temperature, siliceous multilamellar vesicles, unilamellar nano-foams and multilamellar vesicles with sponge-like walls have been obtained. Our work provides a convenient and bioinspired route to obtain siliceous nanostructured materials with adjustable and multi-level pore structures as well as rich morphologies, which is important to understand the biomineralization mechanism. Such artificial silica nanoporous materials may find potential applications in catalysis, separations, electronics, and photonics, etc.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-02-2015
Abstract: Large pore (4.6-7.6 nm) and well-dispersed benzene bridged mesoporous organosilica nanoparticles with uniform particle size of ≈50 nm are prepared via a biphasic approach. They can be directly used as nanocarriers without surface modification for the intracellular delivery of therapeutic proteins.
Publisher: The American Association of Immunologists
Date: 03-2021
Abstract: Prophylactic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines are commercially available for prevention of infection with cancerogenic HPV genotypes but are not able to combat pre-existing HPV-associated disease. In this study, we designed a nanomaterial-based therapeutic HPV vaccine, comprising manganese (Mn4+)-doped silica nanoparticles (Mn4+-SNPs) and the viral neoantigen peptide GF001 derived from the HPV16 E7 oncoprotein. We show in mice that Mn4+-SNPs act as self-adjuvants by activating the inflammatory signaling pathway via generation of reactive oxygen species, resulting in immune cell recruitment to the immunization site and dendritic cell maturation. Mn4+-SNPs further serve as Ag carriers by facilitating endo/lysosomal escape via depletion of protons in acidic endocytic compartments and subsequent Ag delivery to the cytosol for cross-presentation. The Mn4+-SNPs+GF001 nanovaccine induced strong E7-specific CD8+ T cell responses, leading to remission of established murine HPV16 E7-expressing solid TC-1 tumors and E7-expressing transgenic skin grafts. This vaccine construct offers a simple and general strategy for therapeutic HPV and potentially other cancer vaccines.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-2013
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 04-08-2018
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 06-11-2007
DOI: 10.1021/JA077110R
Abstract: We report the synthesis of raspberry-like hierarchical siliceous hollow spheres (HSHS) via a one-pot, one template approach. The siliceous species and block copolymer molecules self-assemble simultaneously into composite spherical micelles and vesicles in solution. The colloidal interaction between spheres with different sizes gives rise to the final HSHS structure with a raspberry morphology.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-07-2011
Abstract: Small mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs ca. 37 nm in diameter) have a high loading capacity for a hydrophobic photosensitizer, SiPcCl(2) (82.6% in weight), and excellent endocytosis properties. As a result, the amount of SiPcCl(2) being delivered to cancer cells is increased by approximately two orders of magnitude compared to pure SiPcCl(2) at the same dosage, and the photodynamic therapy (PDT) efficiency is enhanced by over fourfold. Our method can be widely used to increase the dosage of hydrophobic anti-cancer drugs in cancer cells and therefore increase the cytotoxicity of the drugs.
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 11-11-2010
DOI: 10.1021/JP104644E
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 19-03-2008
DOI: 10.1021/LA8000569
Abstract: We studied the synthesis of siliceous structures by using a nonionic block copolymer (Pluronic P123) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) as cotemplates in an acid-catalyzed sol-gel process. Different siliceous structures were obtained through systematically varying the molar ratio (R) of PFOA/P123, and the resultant materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, nitrogen sorption analysis, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The results are consistent and reveal a structure transition from a highly ordered 2D hexagonal (HEX) mesostructure with a rodlike morphology to multilamellar vesicles (MLVs) with sharp edges when R is increased. The fact that the MLVs are initiated from the end of hexagonally mesostructured rods provides key evidence in such a novel structure transition. Our finding indicates that, at least in our observations, the MLVs are developed gradually from HEX structures, rather than by a direct cooperative self-assembly mechanism. It is suggested that PFOA molecules with rigid fluorocarbon chains closely interact with PEO. This interaction model may well explain (1) the "wall-thicken" effect in HEX mesostructures by enlarging the hydrophilic PEO moiety (R = 0-1.4), (2) the subsequent HEX to multilamellar structure transition by modifying the hydrophilic/hydrophobic volume ratio (R = 1.4-2.8), and (3) the formation of MLVs with sharp edges by increasing the bending energy. This model provides insight into the fabrication of novel porous materials by the use of block copolymers and fluorinated surfactant mixed templates.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 10-2015
Abstract: A new type of monodispersed mesoporous silica nanoparticles with a core-cone structure (MSN-CC) has been synthesized. The large cone-shaped pores are formed by silica lamellae closely packed encircling a spherical core, showing a structure similar to the flower dahlia. MSN-CC has a large pore size of 45 nm and a high pore volume of 2.59 cm(3) g(-1). MSN-CC demonstrates a high loading capacity of large proteins and successfully delivers active β-galactosidase into cells, showing their potential as efficient nanocarriers for the cellular delivery of proteins with large molecular weights.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-11-2007
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 30-08-2008
DOI: 10.1021/CM8011815
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 20-12-2012
DOI: 10.1021/CM203434K
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 21-11-2006
DOI: 10.1021/JA066707O
Abstract: We report a new approach to produce macroporous ( approximately 110 nm in diameter) ordered siliceous foams (MOSF) by using block copolymers as templates in the absence of any organic cosolvent. The fine three-dimensional honeycomb structure of MOSF was determined by electron tomography. A formation mechanism of MOSF that spans from the atomic to macroscopic scale is proposed, which involves the cooperative self-assembly of unilamellar vesicles followed by the supra-assembly of vesicles. The fusion of soft vesicles finally leads to MOSF with well-ordered and defined honeycomb structures.
Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Date: 2014
DOI: 10.1039/C4TB00595C
Abstract: SBA-15 rods with 80–200 nm in length and 18 ± 8 nm in width have been prepared, showing enhanced cellular uptake efficiency.
Publisher: The Chemical Society of Japan
Date: 05-05-2009
DOI: 10.1246/CL.2009.442
Start Date: 2017
End Date: 2020
Funder: Australian Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 2018
End Date: 2018
Funder: University of Queensland
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 2016
End Date: 2016
Funder: Queensland Government
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 2017
End Date: 2020
Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council
View Funded ActivityStart Date: 2018
End Date: 2021
Funder: University of Queensland
View Funded Activity