Biomedical nanotechnologies - Transcript
Biomedical nanotechnologies
Edmonton, Alberta
Our Biomedical Nanotechnologies team designs, synthesizes and tests nanomaterials for the ability to manipulate biological systems. Our 2 synthetic chemistry labs are equipped with instruments for organic chemical synthesis and purification, Schlenk lines, rotary evaporators and more. We can perform all chemical characterization on our spectrometry instruments. We synthesize small molecules that are programmed with chemical instructions to efficiently self-assemble into organized materials.
These materials have applications in various fields like optics, electronics, cosmetics and water purification. We are currently developing them for drug delivery, controlled release and 3D bioprinting. The thermal and mechanical analysis equipment in our labs enable the characterization of the phase, deformation and flow behaviour of gels and other soft nanomaterials. A microfluidic approach is used to encapsulate biological or small molecule active pharmaceutical ingredients, known as APIs, for drug delivery.
This protects the API from harsh extracellular environmental conditions in vivo, allowing delivery of the intact API into the target tissues, cells and sub-cellular compartments. The size, shape and structure of drug delivery nanocarriers in their native state can be revealed in cryogenic transmission electron microscopy. Combining fluorescence and electron microscopy, we can visualize both the intracellular journey of nanoparticles and the dynamic responses between nanoparticles and cells.
One of our flow cytometers has 3 lasers and 6 filters to characterize the phenotypic characteristics of cells and physical properties of submicron particles. The other allows for fluorescent analysis of cells in a microfluidic stream. Our team is currently examining the role of neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative diseases. In our biosafety level-2 certified tissue culture facility, we use 2D and 3D culture systems to generate human and animal cell models to investigate the processes of inflammation and other immune responses.
Our researchers have expertise in molecular biology and protein production and isolation. Along with standard resources to assay protein quantity and function, we use infrared light to analyze protein size and quantity. Our microplate reader also allows us to analyze the fluorescence and visible light absorbance of samples. We are building multiparametric sensing devices that can isolate or enrich nanoparticles for improved characterization.
Our recent application in 3D bioprinting is expanding, and we actively seek collaboration in this area. Contact us for more information.