Interdisciplinary Initiatives Program Round 3 – 2006

Chris Contag, Pediatrics
Richard Zare, Chemistry

This application represents a unique combination of expertise in chemistry and biology that will enable the development and testing of novel drug delivery approaches. The chemistry, represented by Prof. Zare and his research team, utilizes supercritical carbon dioxide as an antisolvent in the preparation of nanoparticles whose size and surroundings can be well-controlled for use in the development of new pharmaceuticals andmolecular sensors for imaging. The nanoparticles will be comprised of small molecules (drugs) and a polymer coating for controlled delivery and release. These new nanoparticle designs will be tested using biochemical, cell culture and in vivo imaging approaches developed by Dr. Contag and his group to determine the biodistribution, relative to target tissues, and to assess the extent of delivery and efficacy at the target site. Our synergistic combination of expertise and technologies will accelerate the development of new drug delivery designs and refine the outcome measures in preclinical models as to provide insight for the design of clinical trials.