Lecture-Cellular localization of TiO2 based nanoconjugates

10:00am on 8th June 2011

A5 Meeting Room, NIMTE

Gayle E. Woloschak, Professor

Department of Radiation Oncology

Department of Radiology

Department of Cell and Molecular Biology

Northwestern University

Feinberg School of Medicine

303 E. Chicago Ave

Ward-13-002

Chicago, IL 60611

TITLE:　

Professor (tenured); Associate Director Radiation Oncology Residency Program; Cancer Nano Materials Program Co-Leader, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University

APPOINTMENTS:

Associate Director for Microbeam Science, Bio-CAT

Individual Investigator/Visiting Senior Scientist XOR-CAT

Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory

Argonne, IL 60439　　 

Member, Center for Genetic Medicine and Cancer Center;

Member, Graduate Faculty

Member, International Institute for Nanotechnology

Northwestern University Medical Center

Chicago, IL 60611

Visiting Senior Scientist

Bundeswehr Institute of Radiobiology

Munich, Germany

Lecturer

Rosalind Franklin Medical School

North Chicago, IL

Visiting Professor

Alexandria University, School of Medicine

Alexandria, Egypt

EDUCATION:

1973-1976　  B.S., summa cum laude; Biological Sciences; Youngstown State University, Youngstown, OH.

1976-1980　  Ph.D., Medical Sciences (Microbiology); Medical College of Ohio, Toledo, OH.

1980-1983　  Postdoctoral Research Fellow; Department of Immunology and Department of Cell Biology; Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.

ABSTRACT:

Cellular localization of TiO2 based nanoconjugates

Many different types of nanoparticles are currently used for biomedical research; their desired applications dictate the allowable interactions between nanoparticles and cells and organisms. For example, in reconstructive medicine nanoparticles serve as scaffolds for cells or boost desired cellular behaviours. In cancer medicine, however, nanoparticles must enter the cells in order to activate or inactivate specific inter-molecular interactions and pathways. Nanoparticles based on titanium dioxide are the primary focus of our work because of possibility to be used not only as scaffolding for small molecules and polymers, but as a source of reactive oxygen species as well. Use of TiO2 nanoparticles against cancer depends on their cellular uptake.

In a series of experiments with different types of cancer cells we have investigated accumulation and quantity of TiO2 nanoparticles. Detailed investigation has shown that TiO2 nanoparticles with bare surface enter cells by any one of the endocytic pathways that the cells are using. On the other hand, surface conjugation with different ligands makes nanoparticles’ ligand-dependent uptake associated with only one or few endocytic mechanisms. Finally, surface modification of nanoparticles with nucleic acids has been used to modulate retention of nanoparticles in cells.

Using a careful combination of surface moieties, suited for cellular targeting and retention regulation, we expect to be able to optimally adapt the TiO2 nanoparticles for uptake and retention by cancer cells.