| EPSRC Reference: |
EP/C54157X/1 |
| Title: |
Platform: High - Throughput Chemical Biology for Efficient Cellular Delivery |
| Principal Investigator: |
Bradley, Professor M |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Sch of Chemistry |
| Organisation: |
University of Edinburgh |
| Scheme: |
Platform Grants (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
01 September 2005 |
Ends: |
31 August 2010 |
Value (£): |
418,096
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Analytical Science |
Combinatorial Chemistry |
| Drug Formulation & Delivery |
Medical science & disease |
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
| Healthcare |
Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology |
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| Related Grants: |
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| Panel History: |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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It is very difficult to get materials into cells, especially into skin cells as by its very nature skin forms a defensive barrier. We have designed and built some, small, simple molecules that act as Trojan Horses, thereby allowing compounds to enter into a variety of cells. Using these Trojan Horses we will deliver into cells compounds that do not normally get into cells and which will have a biological effect on the cell. This will include some DNA like molecules which we will use to switch off genes (antisense type molecules) as well as delivering into cells a variety of proteins or enzymes and peptides that help regulate a variety of processes inside cells. This will allow the fundamental ability of these Trojan Horses to be fully accessed in a number of areas and optimised for efficient up-take. To maximise the potential of this technology we will exploit so called micro-array techniques, which allow us to efficiently identify the most potent delivery agents from thousands of potential compounds (finding the needle in the hay-stack).We have also designed a number of small beads (1-3 microns in size, about one thousand times smaller than a millimetre) that are taken up into cells. This allows chemical sensors to be placed on the beads and therefore allows processes inside the cell to be followed in real time (an analogy is a thermostat (= bead) inside a house (= cell)). There are many avenues that can then be explored in this project with these beads. For example if these beads are made magnetic then only cells carrying the beads will be manipulated by magnetic field. One application will be to label definers and then localise them magnetically. Beads can be made with different colours and this will allow cells to be labelled (and sorted) with different coloured beads inside. These beads also can be used as carrier devices, allowing materials to be taken into cells and then released from the beads to carryout a specific biological function.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.ed.ac.uk |