Gold Nanoparticle Enhanced Drug Loading into Extracellular Vesicles
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are natural carriers released by all living cells, which we are using for advancing efficiency of therapeutic delivery due to their various advantageous properties, including; (i) cargo protection from enzymatic degradation, (ii) tissue-specific targeting, and (iii) high biocompatibility.
​
Microfluidic electroporation, which utilizes short-duration voltage pulses to create pores on the EV surface membrane, is a leading method for cargo transfection into EVs.
​
​
We suspect that AuNPs can increase the loading into EVs during electroporation by allocating the electric voltage onto the EV surface creating a pulse strength focusing effect, allowing more pore formation without increasing the total voltage applied
2022-2024: Undergraduate Researcher in Dr. Me He's Lab (College of Pharmacy)
Research Funding:
- UF Center for Undergraduate Research
- NIH Summer Scholar Award
With the guidance of my graduate mentor Nina Erwin and PI Dr. Mei He, I determine the necessary steps for the continuation of this project. I individually plan and conduct the experiments as well as analyze the data and draw conclusions from the findings.