SUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISAT
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Events for December
-
Lipid-Polymer Hybrid Nanoparticles for Targeted Therapeutics
Mon, Dec 03, 2007 @ 02:00 PM
Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Graduate SeminarDr. Liangfang Zhang Chemical Engineering Department, MITNanotechnology is the understanding and the control of matter generally in 1-100 nm dimension range. The application of nanotechnology to medicine, known as nanomedicine, concerns the use of precisely engineered materials at this length scale to develop novel therapeutic and diagnostic modalities. In the past two decades, there has been a progressive increase in the number of commercially available nanoparticle-based therapeutics products. Among these products, liposomal drugs and polymer-based drugs are two dominant classes, accounting for more than 80% of the total amounts. However, both liposomes and polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) have their own drawbacks as drug carriers that limit their application potential in many medical areas. Here I report a platform bionanotechnology that enables the formulation of targeted NPs which have merits of both lipid- and polymer-based NPs, while excluding some of their limitations. The NPs are comprised of: i) a biodegradable polymeric core which can carry bioactive drugs and release them at a sustained rate; ii) a lipid monolayer shell which can prevent the carried agents from freely diffusing out of the nanoparticle and reduce water penetration rate into the nanoparticle, thereby enhancing drug encapsulation efficiency and slowing drug release; iii) a stealth material that can allow the particles to evade recognition by immune system components and increase particle circulation half life; and iv) a targeting molecule that can bind to a unique molecular signature on cells, tissues, or organs of the body. The targeting therapeutic potential of these lipid-polymer hybrid NPs is demonstrated in treating prostate cancer and cardiovascular disease.Monday, December 3, 2007Seminar at 2:00 p.m.SAL 101The Scientific Community is Cordially Invited.
Location: Henry Salvatori Computer Science Center (SAL) - 101
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Petra Pearce Sapir
-
Lyman Handy Colloquium Series
Thu, Dec 06, 2007 @ 12:45 PM - 01:50 PM
Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
Conferences, Lectures, & Seminars
Speaker: Rakesh Agrawal
School Of Chemical Engineering
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN, USAhttps://engineering.purdue.edu/ChE/Directory/Faculty/Agrawal.htmlEnvironmentally Friendly Energy SolutionsThe recent rise in oil prices again reminds us that the world's supply of fossil fuels is finite. Roughly 85% of current energy use is being met by fossil fuels. Alternate primary energy sources are being identified and developed to permit the continued functioning of the world economy. The first part of this presentation will survey some of these alternative sustainable primary energy sources: solar, wind, nuclear, and bio-based sources. It will also review the particular challenges associated with various end uses of energy.Common energy carriers, such as electricity, are used to move energy from several primary sources to many different end uses. Recently, the possibility of an alternate energy system using H2 as a common energy carrier has been proposed and widely debated. In such a system, H2 would first have to be produced from a primary source. It would then need to be transported, delivered and stored at the point of end use. The second part of this presentation will briefly highlight the challenges associated with H2 supply chain that is currently being considered for fuel cell vehicles. Finally, some new and novel solutions to sustain the current transportation sector will be presented. These solutions provide a feasible framework for a fossil fuel-free world. Also they provide exciting possibilities for chemical engineers to apply their expertise and contribute to the grand challenge of energy.
Location: Olin Hall of Engineering (OHE) - 122
Audiences: Everyone Is Invited
Contact: Petra Pearce Sapir