This CAREER award funded by the Biomaterials program in the Division of Materials Research to Case Western Reserve University will pioneer novel antibody-nanoparticle conjugates. Antibodies and their conjugates find applications across scientific disciplines; the combination of antibodies with nanoparticles provides a means for multiplexed, miniaturized devices with enhanced detection capabilities. A biology-inspired nanofabrication technology will be implemented for the design of protein-based diagnostics for health and environment monitoring. This work promises to advance the scientific knowledge underlying nanoparticle design rules for improved disease and pollutant detection. With respect to future and potential biomedical applications, the proposed biomaterials hold great potential for detection and sub-typing of tumors, or combined with therapeutic molecules for drug- and gene-delivery. Furthermore, the proposed nanoparticle-antibody arrays could find applications as sensors to detect and/or purify various pesticides, steroids, and other pollutants. Advanced medical imaging and environment sensing devices is the key to maintain healthy living environments and societies. An important further benefit is the training and education of students in an interdisciplinary environment fostering team sciences, bridging bioengineering, synthetic biology, biomedicine, and environmental sensing. K-12 and public engagement will be promoted through the established 'The Nanoman' multimedia outreach program.
This award is to synthesize and study novel immunosensors, and to educate the public and next-generation leaders in biomolecular research and industry. Nanoparticle-antibody conjugates will be produced from nucleoprotein assemblies with integrated antibody-binding domains formed by the components of the tobacco mosaic virus. The aspect ratio (length:width) of the soft matter immunoconjugates will be tightly controlled; therefore providing a unique platform to investigate nanoparticle aspect ratio as a design parameter for enhanced medical imaging and environmental sensing. The proposed nanoparticle-antibody conjugates hold great potential for applications in biomedicine, including cancer detection, sub-typing of tumors, as well as drug- and gene-delivery. Furthermore, the biology-programmed nanofabrication technique will be extended to produce spatial arrays of nanoparticle-antibody conjugates on surfaces for sensing of pollutants in water sources. Screening and detection of diseases as well as environment monitoring are critical to maintain healthy living environments and societies. As part of the outreach activities, the multimedia educational program 'The Nanoman' will serve as a platform to peak interest in STEM research through video and gaming. Graduate and undergraduate student training will focus on synthetic biology and biomolecular engineering with emphasis on collaborative and interdisciplinary research.
