The Historically Black Colleges and Universities-Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) Research Initiation Awards (RIAs) provide support to STEM faculty at HBCUs to pursue research at their home institution, at an NSF-funded Center, at a research intensive institution or at a national laboratory. The RIA projects are expected to help further the faculty member's research capability and effectiveness, to improve research and teaching at his or her home institution, and to involve undergraduate students in research experiences. With support from the National Science Foundation, Jackson State University (JSU) will design and develop nanoparticles which are sensitive to pH change and have biocompatibility and low toxicity and can be used for molecular imaging and therapeutics. The proposed project will strengthen the educational and research capacity at JSU, augment the ongoing research being conducted in the Department of Chemistry, and build collaborations both internally and externally. The project will allow undergraduate students to connect basic chemistry and materials science with potential application in biomedical engineering. The exposure of underrepresented minorities to cutting-edge research and instrumentation will result in students who are well-prepared for graduate school and well-qualified to compete in the Nation's STEM workforce.
The goal of this project is to develop biomimetic nanoparticles to enhance magnetic resonance (MR) signals in response to pH. Specifically, this study aims to: 1) synthesize and characterize poly(N,N-dipropyldopamine) nanoparticles (PDNPs) with pH sensitive components 2) develop new schemes to modify the surface of PDNPs to improve their solubility and for further functionalization; 3) prepare multifunctional PDNPs by intrinsically chelating with iron(III); and 4) evaluate the biocompatibility of nanoparticles by incubating with living cells. The development of the PDNPs will provide a procedure to prepare melanin-like nanoparticles with pH sensitive MR properties and photothermal effect. The structural characterization of PDNPs will provide information for the mechanisms of interaction of the metal ion with catechol groups. The project will not only enhance biomedical engineering research but also provide excellent education and training opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate students at JSU. This work will be conducted in collaboration with the Washington University in St. Louis. The research and educational activities will advance the academic mission of JSU.
