The Gene Transfer Vehicle core will synthesize, purify and supply sterile reagents for nucleic acid transfection to researchers involved with gene therapy at the University of California/San Francisco. The reagents will include cationic lipids, peptides, DNA binding molecules and polymers that have been described in the literature or proposed by participants in the Center. The core will be responsible for the structural identification and chemical analysis of novel vehicles. The core will also advise individual investigators on gene delivery vehicles that are most appropriate for their particular application. At the request of and with specialized components provided by the participants, the core will create reagents that might include antibodies, hormones or other cell surface targeting reagents in combination with lipidic or polymeric transfection reagents. In addition, the core will characterize the diameter and charge of transfecting complexes created by investigators in the Center. Finally, the core will advise individual investigators in the delivery of their specific polynucleotide complexes by aerosolization into rodents. The mission of the core is to provide to investigators synthetic gene delivery vehicles capable of high levels of transfection both in vitro and in vivo and to provide the synthetic capability for investigators who suggest improved molecules or compositions for use as gene delivery vehicles.
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