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27th NanoBME Series Seminar
NANOEAR Integrated EU Project: goals and challenges
| Date | Thursday 12 March 2009 15:00-16:30 |
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| Place | 21COE/REDEEM Lecture Hall, Biomedical Engineering 21COE/REDEEM Building (Aobayama Campus) |
| Outline |
(Associate Professor, University of Tampere, Finland) "NANOEAR Integrated EU Project: goals and challenges" The overall goal of the NANOEAR Integrated Project (one of 3 biggest European projects in medical nanotechnology) is to develop third generation Multifunctional Nanoparticles (NP) for controlled, targeted and traceable drug and gene delivery using the inner ear as a model target organ. The 3g-MFNP are expected to be targetable, biodegradable, traceable in-vivo, and equipped with controlled drug release. With over 44 million EU citizens with hearing loss and 40 000 profoundly deaf who could immediately benefit from a MFNP-based novel drug carrier system and drug coated cochlear implant, the inner ear is a unique and clinically vital target, well representing the central nervous system and other difficult-to-access body sites; it is isolated, multicompartmental with neural, supporting and vascular targets, and relatively immunoprivileged. Multifunctional nanoparticles, dendrimers, micelles, nano-layers and polymer-protein complexes are designed for delivery of molecules/drugs to selected target (receptor, nerve and vascular) cells and tissues of the inner ear. The system is aimed at a broad spectrum of pharmaceutical molecules, including genes, siRNA, growth hormones, downstream cell death pathway inhibitors, immunosuppressants, antioxidants and toxins. However, effective model payload has to fulfill several criteria: 1) being unable to enter cells by itself, 2) being traceable, 3) release of the compound in cytoplasm should be detectable directly or by changing cell morphology/physiology. The specific cell targeting of NP represents another challenge. We solve this with targeting ligands, which bind to specific receptors present on spiral ganglion cells (Trk-B receptors) and outer hair cells (prestin). 3 classes of targeting moieties are under current development: natural ligands of the receptors, affinity peptides and antibody fragments. http://nanoear.org/ |
| Contact | GCOE secretariat Tel: 022-795-7005 |
