The Multi-Stage Vectors (MSV), mesoporous silicon particles, serve as an 'integrator', and vectoring function for single types and multiple-type combinations of the nanoparticles. The MSVs are present in all TCCN projects. MSVs are manufactured using photolithographic and electrochemical methods developed by the Ferrari group in a National nanotechnology core facility at the University of Texas in Austin, where Dr. Ferrari maintains a team of 12 personnel coordinated by TCCN investigator Assistant Professor Xuewu Liu. The manufacture of MSVs involves highly specialized equipment and very complex multi-step protocols. Therefore, it is necessary to establish the mesoporous silicon-producing operation ofthe TCCN as a Nanoengineering Core, directed by Dr. Ferrari, in collaboration with Dr. West for what pertains to the integration of second-stage nanoparticles in the MSVs, and Dr. Liu. In addition to the particulate systems, the Nanoengineering Core will manufacture and characterize the mesoporous silica nanochips for proteomics and peptidomlcs, which are utilized in all TCCN projects for the monitoring of therapeutic and preventative efficacy, and the identification of multi-molecular signature markers for the early detection of ovarian and pancreatic cancer. These nanochips were also developed by the Ferrari group in the National nanotechnology core facility in Austin.
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