Nanostructured Silicon as a Therapeutic and Diagnostic Tool: Nano Seminar series

Distinguished Prof. Michael J. Sailor, UC San Diego, MRSEC / Chem / MSE
This presentation describes the chemistry and properties of mesoporous silicon nanoparticles relevant to sensing and treating diseased tissues in vivo.
Nanophase silicon is one of few semiconductor “quantum dot” materials that is non-toxic and that degrades to non-toxic byproducts. For in vivo applications, advantages include the tissue-penetrating near-infrared wavelength of emission, the long-lived (microseconds) excited state lifetime, and the ability of the nanoscale silicon cage to protect guest molecules such as small molecule drugs, nucleic acids, and proteins.
Here we will emphasize delivery of siRNA-mediated gene silencing agents. We break the problem into four aspects: (1) condenser chemistries to maximize loading of nucleic acid; (2) protection of the biologic payload from degradation and clearance; (3) selective homing to target cell types; and (4) release of the biologic payload with the correct spatial and temporal concentration profile to maximize effects.
Applications in in vivo imaging and in treatment of bacterial lung infections will be highlighted.
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Michael Sailor did his PhD at Northwestern and postdoc at Stanford. Since joining UCSD in 1990 he has risen to Distinguished Professor (2015) and co-director of the Materials Discovery Institute, and serves on the boards of ACS Nano and APL. He has supervised more than 160 students and co-founded a slew of successful biotech companies.