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The School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Pharmaceutical Nanoscience

The objective of Nanosciences Research Group is to develop an understanding of science on the nanoscale in the pharmaceutical and medical contexts, gain the knowledge of fundamental processes relevant for the successful performance of the various nanopharmaceuticals, investigate interactions of the nanosized structures with biological systems and nanotoxicology.

The major research activities and interests of the group are focused on:

  • development and physicochemical, biological and toxicological characterisation of the various pharmaceutical nanostructures including nanoparticles made from biopolymers and liposomes intended for oral and pulmonary delivery of drugs and peptides
  • design of nanoparticulates with adjuvant properties intended for novel vaccine formulations
  • nanopharmacology studies in platelet research with the main focus on nitric oxide and matrix metalloproteinases
  • lipid-based drug delivery systems with potential for improving stability, delivery and bioavailability of therapeutics
  • formulation of nanopharmaceuticals containing active extracts obtained from medicinal plants

Head of Research Group

Members of the Research Group

TCD Collaborators

  • Dr. Ed Lavelle, School of Biochemistry and Immunology
  • Dr. Yurii Gun'ko, School of Chemistry
  • Dr. Adriele Prina-Mello, School of Medicine
  • Dr. Yurii Rakovich, School of Chemistry
  • Prof. Yuri Volkov, School of Medicine

National and International Collaborators

  • Prof. David Brayden (School of Agriculture, Food Science & Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin)

Current Research Projects & Funding

Nanopharmacology in platelet research: focus on nitric oxide and matrix metalloproteinases. Science Foundation Ireland, Investigator Programme (???), 2006-2010, PI prof. Marek Radomski

Irish Drug Delivery Research Network (IDDRN) – SFI Strategic Research Cluster (€5,278,749 total funding shared with partners). December 2007 - December 2012. Co-PI Dr. Carsten Ehrhardt, collaborators Prof. Owen Corrigan, Dr. Anne Marie Healy, Dr. Lidia Tajber,

Development of innovative and commercially viable microemulsion, penetration enhancer based delivery systems and formulation of high potential new medicines using this technology – Enterprise Ireland Innovation Partnerships project grant (with Merrion Pharmaceuticals Ltd.) (€161,973). February 2007 – February 2009. PI Dr. Anne Marie Healy, collaborator Prof. Owen I. Corrigan

Particle engineering of nanoporous microparticles – a platform technology for drug delivery, Enterprise Ireland Technology Development project (€399,740). August 2006 – December 2009. PI Dr. Anne Marie Healy, collaborator Prof. Owen I. Corrigan

Can the ability of chitosan to promote innate immunity be harnessed to produce potent vaccine delivery systems? Science Foundation Ireland, Research Frontiers Programme, PI dr. Ed. Lavelle, collaborators: Prof. Owen Corrigan, Dr. Lidia Tajber

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Selected Publications

Radomski MW, Nanotechnology in medicine: the bright and the dark side, International Life Sciences Institute – European Branch, Brussels, Belgium 28 November 2008, 28 November 2008, 2008, Dr. M. Constable

H Bakowsky, T Richter, C Kneuer, D Hoekstra, U Rothe, C Ehrhardt, U Bakowsky. Adhesion characteristics and stability assessment of lectin-modified liposomes for site-specific drug delivery. Biochim Biophys Acta - Biomembranes , 1778:242-249, 2008

J Schäfer, J Sitterberg, C Ehrhardt, MNV Ravi Kumar, U Bakowsky, A new drug vehicle - lipid coated biodegradable nanoparticles, Adv Sci Technol , 57, 2008, p148-153

M Gaspar, U Bakowsky, C Ehrhardt, Inhaled liposomes - current strategies and future challenges, J Biomed Nanotechnol , 4, (3), 2008, p245-257

Corr, S.A., Byrne, S.J., Tekoriute, R., Meledandri, C.J., Brougham, D.F., Lynch, M., Kerskens, C, O'Dwyer, L, Gun'ko, Y.K. , Linear assemblies of magnetic nanoparticles as MRI contrast agents , Journal of the American Chemical Society , 130, (13), 2008, p4214-4215

Nabiev, I., Mitchell, S., Davies, A., Williams, Y., Kelleher, D., Moore, R., Gun'ko, Y.K. , Byrne, S., Rakovich, Y.P., Donegan, J.F., Sukhanova, A., Conroy, J. , Cottell, D., Gaponik, N., Rogach, A., Volkov, Y., Nonfunctionalized nanocrystals can exploit a cell's active transport machinery delivering them to specific nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments , Nano Letters , 7, (11), 2007, p3452-3461

Medina, C., Santos-Martinez, M.J., Radomski, A., Corrigan, O.I., Radomski, M.W., Nanoparticles: pharmacological and toxicological significance. Br.J.Pharmacol., British Journal of Pharmacology, 150:552-555, 2007.

Byrne, S.J., Williams, Y., Davies, A., Corr, S.A., Rakovich, A., Gun'ko, Y.K. , Rakovich, Y.P., Donegan, J.F., Volkov, Y. , "Jelly dots": Synthesis and cytotoxicity studies of CdTe quantum dot-gelatin nanocomposites, Review of "Jelly dots", Small , 3, (7), 2007, p1152-1156.

S. J. Byrne, S.A. Corr, T.Y. Rakovich, Y.K. Gun'ko, Y.P. Rakovich, J.F. Donegan, S. Mitchell, Y. Volkov, Optimisation of the synthesis and modification of CdTe quantum dots for enhanced live cell imaging, J. Mater. Chem ., 2006.

Lavelle, E.C. and O'Hagan, D.T, Delivery systems and adjuvants for oral vaccines, Expert Opinion on Drug Delivery , 3, (6), 2006, p747 – 762.

Radomski, A., Jurasz, P., Alonso-Escolano, D., Drews, M., Morandi, M., Malinski, T. Radomski, M.W. , Nanoparticle-induced platelet aggregation and vascular thrombosis, British Journal of Pharmacology , 146, 2005, p882 – 893.

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