Programmable DNA-based switches and nanomachines for sensing and drug delivery applications

用于传感和药物输送应用的基于 DNA 的可编程开关和纳米机器

• 批准号: RGPIN-2020-06975
• 负责人: ValléeBélisle, Alexis
• 金额: $ 2.11万
• 依托单位: Université de Montréal
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=718590
• 关键词: Programmable; DNA; based; switches; nanomachines

Over the course of millions of years, living organisms have developed ingenious "nanomachines": entities that act like "green" technology on the scale of a nanometer (one-millionth of a millimetre). These nanoscopic machines allow an organism to produce and store clean energy, as well as create molecular systems that detect and protect it from toxic substances, tumors, viruses and bacteria. Dr. Vallée-Bélisle wants to reveal the secrets behind these nanomachines, opening the door to the creation of revolutionary nanotechnologies that could have a major impact on global health and the environment. Dr. Vallée-Bélisle's research program aims at integrating research efforts from various scientific fields (chemistry, biochemistry, electrical and biomedical engineering, and medicine) to develop bio-nanotechnologies that will have an unprecedented impact on global health. More specifically, his laboratory will continue to characterize the mechanisms of natural nanomachines by exploring the thermodynamic and kinetic basis of various of its activation/regulation mechanisms (PROJECT I). This work aims to understand nanomachines via a "synthetic biology" approach by recreating them using DNA chemistry, a highly "programmable" polymers. These fundamental studies provide the basic rules for the design of efficient artificial nanomachines. Other specific objectives of this discovery grant include the design of a wide variety of artificial DNA switches and nanomachines for molecular sensing and medical diagnosis (PROJECT II) as well as programmable nanomachines for targeted drug delivery (chemotherapy or gene therapy) (PROJECT III), which enable improved treatments with reduced side effects.

在数百万年的时间里，生物体已经开发出了巧妙的“纳米机器”：在纳米（百万分之一毫米）尺度上发挥“绿色”技术作用的实体这些纳米机器允许生物体生产和储存。 Vallée-Bélisle 博士希望揭示这些纳米机器背后的秘密，为创造清洁能源打开大门。可能对全球健康和环境产生重大影响的革命性纳米技术。 Vallée-Bélisle 博士的研究计划旨在整合各个科学领域（化学、生物化学、电气和生物医学工程以及医学）的研究成果，开发将对全球健康产生前所未有的影响的生物纳米技术。更具体地说，他的实验室将。通过探索各种激活/调节机制的热力学和动力学基础，继续表征自然纳米机器的机制（项目 I）。这些基础研究为设计高效的人造纳米机器提供了基本规则，包括设计各种人造纳米机器。用于分子传感和医学诊断的DNA开关和纳米机器（项目II）以及用于靶向药物输送（化疗或基因治疗）的可编程纳米机器（项目III），可以改善治疗并减少副作用。