UK – Page 19 – TechConnect Briefs

How much advantage do Nanoscale Phenomena afford for Pulmonary Delivery?

Walji N., Thanou M., Quirke N., Imperial College London, UK

Although claims of improved performance due to nanoscale phenomena are made on a daily basis, exactly how much advantage can be afforded by nanotechnology for specific medical applications is quantitatively unknown. It is generally suggested [...]

Organisation of peptide ligands on the surface of gene vectors

Wang M., Miller A.D., Thanou M., Imperial College London, UK

Through the considerate organisation of surface ligands, we have developed a lipid-based vector for the targeted delivery to cancer cells. Our ligand is a short peptide with high affinity for the Urokinase Plasminogen Activator receptor [...]

Multilayered ABCD Nanoparticles for siRNA delivery

Thanou M., Miller A., Imperial College London, UK

RNAi therapeutics represent a method to treat human diseases by addressing targets that are not possible to be addressed with conventional medicines. In our Centre we design nanosized systems for siRNA delivery that consist of [...]

Dye Coded Nanoparticle as SERRS Labels for Ultrasensitive Detection of Proteins and Antibodies

Stevenson R., Stokes R.J., Ingram A., Faulds K., Graham D., The University of Strathclyde, UK

We have developed a novel surface enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) detection method that is amenable for almost any biological target. By utilising the information rich spectrum obtained from SERRS we show that we can [...]

Mechanisms of Cellular Interaction, Binding and Internalization of Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes

Lacerda L., Prato M., Bianco A., Kostarelos K., The School of Pharmacy, University of London, UK

The development of nanomaterials for biomedical and biotechnological applications is an area of research that holds great promise and intense interest. Carbon nanotubes (CNT) are thought to lead to novel types of nanomedicines. In our [...]

Nanomaterial: A realistic business case for Pharma

Keller T.H., GlaxoSmithKline, UK

Main points from a pharma perspective: Review nanotech’s current position Nanotech and its realistic potential Nanotech and the barriers into the clinic GSK’s position on the subject matter

Adsorption kinetics of bacteria onto a thin Fe3O4 magnetic nanofilm

Ansari F., Aref A., Libor S., Horvath R., Ramsden J.J., Cranfield University, UK

A range of bacteria have been shown to be able to remove sulfur from organic compounds that commonly exist in petroleum. The most extensively investigated microorganisms belong to the genus Rhodococcus, which has shown reasonably [...]

Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube-Doxorubicin Supramolecular Complexes for Cancer Therapeutics

Ali-Boucetta H., Al-Jamal K.T., Kostarelos K., The School of Pharmacy, University of London, UK

The field of drug delivery is being revolutionised by the discovery of novel nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) capable of traversing the plasma membrane and promoting the cellular uptake of small molecules and macromolecules [...]

Europe’s First Institute of Piezoelectric Materials & Devices

Cain M.G., National Physical Laboratory, UK

The European ‘Multifunctional Integrated Devices’ Network of Excellence is taking piezoelectric technologies into the industrial mainstream. It has successfully created the European Institute of Piezoelectric Materials and Devices with a founding membership of multidisciplinary researchers [...]

The real-time, simultaneous analysis of nanoparticle size, zeta potential, count, asymmetry and fluorescence

Carr R., Hole P., Malloy A., Smith J., Weld A., Warren J., NanoSight Ltd, UK

A new nanoparticle sizing and characterisation technique is described which allows nanoparticles in a suspension to be individually but simultaneously detected and analysed in real time using a low cost instrument. Nanoparticles of all types [...]