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Reconstituted Artificial Coronas: engineering nano-particles by in-silico protein mutagenesis

Research Project
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01.10.2015
 - 30.09.2018

Nanoparticles (NP) are novel materials being used increasingly in a range of fields, including in medicine. When NP enter the blood stream, they often interact with proteins to form a "corona", which may change the properties and function of the nanoparticle; it is also thought that formation of the corona is related to toxic effects of nanoparticles. However, how proteins bind to NP and how exactly this protein-inorganic interaction occurs remains largely unknown; consequently, any prediction of corona formation and of potential toxicity of NP remains difficult. In this project, we aim to study the interaction at the biological-inorganic interface, in specific model proteins binding to silica and gold NP of defined size and surface chemistry. Using a reiterative approach combining experiment and computation, hypotheses generated compitationally will be tested experimentally using recombinant protein mutants designed to probe potential interaction sites.

Collaborations & Cooperations

2018 - Participation or Organization of Collaborations on a national level
Wick, Peter, EMPA Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Research cooperation

Funding

Reconstituted Artificial Coronas: engineering nano-particles by in-silico protein mutagenesis

Ressortforschung des Bundes (GrantsTool), 10.2015-09.2018 (36)
PI : Schwede, Torsten.

Members (5)

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Torsten Schwede

Principal Investigator
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Jürgen Haas

Co-Investigator
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Marc Creus

Co-Investigator
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Ruben David Rogaciano Ramalho

Project Member
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Thomas Kedzierski

Project Member