The main objectives of this module are:
After completion of the course, students are able to
- define strategies to create multifunctional molecular assemblies to exploit specific characteristics of cells/tissues for targeting
- explain how the interplay of nanomedicine and cell biology leads to drug delivery
- perform a critical review of nanomedicine literature with respect to the significance of the study to provide a novel treatment
- design nanomedicine strategies based on the understanding of the specific molecular characteristics of cells and tissues
- evaluate experimental nanomedicine strategies with respect to their potential clinical value
|
|
The module
Nanomedicine aims to create molecular functional units on the nanoscale for use in disease treatment and diagnostics. In treatment, the motivation is to deliver a drug specifically to the site of action, thereby increasing efficiency, reducing side effects and make classes of drugs accessible that, unless incorporated into a delivery vehicle, are rapidly degraded inside the body. A prominent example is siRNA to reduce expression of certain target genes. In diagnostics, nanomedicine creates probes to detect cancer or report on the metabolic situation in certain tissues. The design of nanomedicines is frequently guided by nature as exemplified by drug delivery systems that mimic the function of viruses.
Nanomedicine is multidisciplinary, ranging from bioorganic chemistry, to cell biology and histology. Bioorganic chemistry links individual building blocks into multifunctional molecular assemblies. Cell biology defines the molecular interaction of nanomedicines with cells and how this leads to delivery of a nanomedicine at a certain location inside the cell. Histology creates the basis for specificity for certain cell types.
This course will teach the key concepts of nanomedicine covering the following topics:
- Bioconjugation strategies for the generation of (macro-)molecular assemblies
- Detection modalities (Fluorescence/radioactivity)
- Principles of nanoscale cell biology and histology of targeting and drug delivery
- Nanoparticles for drug delivery/liposomes
- Organ-on-the-chip
|
|
|