ABSTRACT

June 20, 2016

Title: Systematic Design of Redox Potential Tunable Nanoparticles to Mimic the Function of Biological Enzymes for Mitigating the Diseases caused by Reactive Oxygen Species

PI: Dr Ajay Karakoti

Co-PI: Dr. Sanjay Singh

Project Duration: 3 years

Starting date: June 2016
 
Ending date: May 2019 

Funding Organisation: DST - SERB Early Career Research Award

Proposal Summary: Excessive generation of ROS has been linked to various conditions such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, cancers, atherosclerosis, macular degeneration, cardiac fibrosis and arthritis. Antioxidants are now being looked upon as persuasive therapeutic agents against the diseases and disorders caused by ROS, as they have capability to neutralize free radicals. In this proposal it is hypothesized that ROS scavenging activity of cerium oxide nanoparticles can be increased by modification of its redox potential. It is proposed to synthesize a library of novel cerium oxide nanoparticles with varying redox potentials by testing the hypothesis that covalent ligation with electron withdrawing and donating groups can change its redox potential.  Cerium oxide nanoparticles will be synthesized and functionalized with ligands of varying electronic properties. Interaction between various ligands and nanoparticles will be quantified by calorimetry and the effect of ligand functionalization on redox potential will be measured.  In-vitro ROS scavenging activity of bare and functionalized nanoparticles will be correlated with the shift in redox potential. The mechanism of nanoparticle uptake will also be studied before and after functionalization of nanoparticles with ligands. ROS protection in mammalian cells will be tested by depleting the cell glutathione which would increase the cytoplasmic concentration of free radicals.

Broad Area: Synthetic enzymes and nanotechnology.

Subject Area: Chemistry and Materials Science

Keywords: Funded Research