Modelling Transport Phenomena of Nanoparticles in Drug Delivery Therapy

药物输送治疗中纳米粒子的运输现象建模

• 批准号: RGPIN-2020-04536
• 负责人: Azaiez, Jalel
• 金额: $ 2.04万
• 依托单位: University of Calgary
• 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=717090
• 关键词: Modelling; Transport; Phenomena; Nanoparticles; Drug

Small particles of size less than 100 nanometer are bringing revolutionary technological changes. A nanometer is one billionth of a meter or about a hundred-thousandth the thickness of a human hair. Such particles referred to as nanoparticles, are finding applications in many fields such as energy, environmental engineering and drug therapy. It is in the latter that this research finds its motivation and one of its main intended applications. Existing cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation are known to induce negative side effects due to their non-specificity where healthy cells are damaged in the process of destroying cancerous ones. New techniques based on nanoparticles are being developed, where the injected nanoparticles travel through the blood to carry out their therapeutic mission once they reach the tumor. The mission may be the delivery of a therapeutic drug or the release of heat. This latter technique, known as thermotherapy, uses the fact that cancer cells are more sensitive to heat than healthy ones. Engineered nanoparticles are similarly used to carry missions of degrading or transforming contaminants for the purpose of water or soil remediation. Regardless of the application, the success of the techniques depends on how the nanoparticles travel and distribute when they reach their destination. Due to many factors, there is currently limited control on the nanoparticles fate and it is critical to develop an understanding of the effects of these factors on the particles journey, and in turn their efficiency. Out of the many known factors, the particles size has been identified as one of the most important. Existing relevant studies assume that all particles have the same size. In addition, these studies do not account for a number of mechanisms including special heat effects, as for example encountered in thermotherapy. As a result, we do not currently know how these aspects actually affect the particles transport and distribution. This research will look closely at these aspects and their effects on the particles journey by considering particles with a wide range of sizes and by factoring the role of heat transfer. The analysis will examine flows of nanoparticles through geometries such as small pipes or blood vessels, their interactions with other particles as well as pipe walls, and their penetration and distribution in porous structures, such as a tumor. To achieve this, physical models will be developed to capture the main dynamics in the particles journey. The model equations will be solved using advanced simulations techniques based on newly developed numerical algorithms. The research will contribute to the development of new designs and techniques to achieve optimal and efficient nanoparticles delivery with applications primarily in drug delivery but also in soil decontamination and oil recovery. This will translate into benefit to the health and well-being of Canadians and added societal and economic value.

小于100纳米的小颗粒正在带来革命性的技术变革。纳米是十亿分之一米，大约是人类头发厚度的万分之一。这种被称为纳米颗粒的颗粒正在能源、环境工程和药物治疗等许多领域得到应用。本研究正是在后者中找到了它的动机和它的主要预期应用之一。 现有的癌症治疗方法，如化疗和放疗，由于其非特异性，在破坏癌细胞的过程中健康细胞会受到损害，因此会产生负面副作用。基于纳米粒子的新技术正在开发中，注射的纳米粒子通过血液传播，一旦到达肿瘤就执行其治疗任务。任务可能是输送治疗药物或释放热量。后一种技术被称为热疗法，它利用了癌细胞比健康细胞对热更敏感的事实。工程纳米颗粒同样用于降解或转化污染物，以达到水或土壤修复的目的。无论应用如何，该技术的成功取决于纳米粒子到达目的地时的行进和分布方式。由于许多因素，目前对纳米粒子命运的控制有限，了解这些因素对粒子旅程的影响及其效率至关重要。在许多已知因素中，颗粒尺寸被认为是最重要的因素之一。 现有的相关研究假设所有颗粒具有相同的尺寸。此外，这些研究没有考虑许多机制，包括特殊的热效应，例如热疗中遇到的情况。因此，我们目前不知道这些方面实际上如何影响颗粒的传输和分布。这项研究将通过考虑各种尺寸的颗粒并考虑传热的作用，仔细研究这些方面及其对颗粒旅程的影响。该分析将检查纳米颗粒通过小管道或血管等几何形状的流动、它们与其他颗粒以及管壁的相互作用，以及它们在肿瘤等多孔结构中的渗透和分布。为了实现这一目标，将开发物理模型来捕捉粒子旅程中的主要动态。模型方程将使用基于新开发的数值算法的先进模拟技术来求解。该研究将有助于开发新的设计和技术，以实现最佳和高效的纳米颗粒输送，主要应用于药物输送，也可用于土壤净化和石油回收。这将转化为有利于加拿大人的健康和福祉，并增加社会和经济价值。