The Condensed Matter & Surface Sciences Colloquium Series presents Amir M. Farnoud of Ohio University, on “Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery and Their Interactions with Biological Membranes” on Thursday, Aug. 31, at 4:10 p.m. in Walter 245.
Amir Farnoud in his laboratory in Stocker Center.
Abstract: Engineered nanomaterials are being increasingly used in biomedical and industrial applications. Their widespread use has led to concerns regarding the potential toxicity of nanomaterials to mammalian cells. The plasma membrane is the first cellular entity that “meets” exogenous particles. Thus, nanoparticle effects on the cell plasma membrane are likely a major factor in determining their potential cytotoxicity. While several studies have investigated the interactions of nanomaterials with the cell plasma membrane, the role of nanoparticle physicochemical properties in such interactions remains ill-defined. This is because the plasma membrane is a complex and dynamic structure, which does not lend itself well to mechanistic studies. My group uses membrane models of increasing complexity to elucidate the mechanisms of nanoparticle-biomembrane interactions. In this talk, I will discuss our efforts to investigate the interactions of silica nanoparticles with various membrane models and mammalian cells. I will also talk about our efforts to use nanoparticles for drug delivery against fungal pathogens.
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