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University of Wisconsin-Madison

Pharm Sci Seminar – Michael Sailor, PhD

February

1,

2019

Treatment of S. aureus Bacterial Infections with Porous Silicon Nanoparticles

Michael Sailor, PhD
Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry
University of California, San Diego

Hosted by Sandro Mecozzi

The effective treatment of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections is an unmet clinical need that is of increasing urgency.  The deployment of nanoparticles, specifically targeted to the diseased tissues and carrying payloads designed to either enhance existing therapeutic regimens or to reprogram the immune system response will be described. We use porous silicon nanoparticle (pSiNP) delivery vehicles and small peptide targeting agents.  The pSiNPs can be simultaneously loaded and sealed using aqueous solutions of the desired therapeutic (siRNA or the small molecule antibiotic vancomycin will be used as examples) in the presence of high concentrations of calcium or magnesium ions.  The resulting nanostructures consist of drug loaded into the mesopores of the nanoparticle and sealed with biodegradable calcium or magnesium silicate. Attachment of peptides and fusogenic coatings imparts targeting and cell penetration properties to the constructs that show improved gene silencing and therapeutic outcomes in vivo. The intrinsic photoluminescence that derives from quantum confinement in the silicon skeleton provides a built-in luminescent probe that can be used for in vivo and in vitro imaging and self-reporting drug delivery in these systems.

Porous silicon nanoparticle design.
Porous silicon nanoparticle design.
Porous silicon nanoparticles by TEM. Nominal particle size is 200nm.
Porous silicon nanoparticles by TEM. Nominal particle size is 200nm.

Date
Friday, February 1, 2019
Time
8:50 AM – 9:50 AM
Location

Signe Skott Cooper Hall 1227

Madison, WI 53705

This event is brought to you by: Pharmaceutical Sciences Division