Session: Physical Chemistry Poster:

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), Polymer nanoparticles (PNPs), and liposomes have been utlized with mixed sucess as drug delivery vehicles due to their nano structural instability during synthesis which begets a delay in renal clearance and prolonged circulation duration leading to potential toxicity. In efforts to improve success and minimize therapeutic adversity, a peptidic encapsulating system utilizing alpha, beta, and gamma-amino acid derivatives may prove effective in enclosing small molecules, like sulforaphane wiht anti-cancer properties, due to their expanded diameters. The alpha-helical system distributes control over size lengthwise by regulating the length of the sequence and widthwise with regular repetitive hydrogen bonding (H-bonding) controlling the diameter. These peptides can also be chemically designed to impart targeted delivery allowing for the distinction between normal and cancerous cells. The primary objective of this research is to evaluate through computational analysis the stability of alpha, beta, and gamma alpha-helical structures to evaluate their efficacy as drug delivery vehicles.

Dr. Zeeshan Habeeb

Assistant Professor

Appearances