S. N. Casillas-Popova
National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico
Title: Magnetoelectric nanoparticles as a new drug delivery system
Biography
Biography: S. N. Casillas-Popova
Abstract
Statement of the Problem: In the recent years, pharmaceutical sciences have been quickly developed, so it´s easy to forget that no many years ago there weren´t available, effective and safety treatments for common diseases. Despite the advances in the pharmaceutical sciences, nowadays there are still inefficiently treated diseases that remain a challenge, therefore the development of new systems is crucial for the improvement of current therapies.
The magnetoelectric nanocarriers are nanoparticles composed by magnetoelectric materials, a subgroup of multiferroic compound that exhibit the magnetoelectric effect, a phenomenon in which a magnetic field can induce an electrical polarization or vice versa.
The coating of magnetoelectric nanoparticles with materials that respond dynamically to stimuli in the cellular environment provides a way to control the release of the drug inside the target cells.
The aim of this study is to design, elaborate and characterize magnetoelectric core-shell nanoparticles coated with a thermoresponsive polymer for their application in drug release and cellular nanoelectroporation.
Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: The coprecipitation method was used to the synthesis of the magnetic core of the nanoparticles, which then were coated with a ferroelectric material by sol gel method. Finally, the magnetoelectric nanoparticles were coated with PNIPAm via radical polymerization. The nanoparticles where characterized by several method as X-ray, electronic microscopy, IR, DSC, among others.
Findings: The methodology employed in this study allowed the synthesis of the core-shell nanoparticles which now are subject of in vitro release studies.
Conclusion & Significance: This new nanocarriers promises to improve the treatment of diseases which remain a cause of premature death. In the case of cancer, they promise to overcome one of the main challenges, the delivery and specifically release of drugs into tumoral cells without effecting healthy cells.