Effects of Mechanical Stimuli on Biological Interactions with Amino Acid-Derivatized Fullerenes at the Tissue and Cellular Levels
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Date
2007-07-05
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Abstract
Engineered nanomaterials have structural features with at least one dimension in the 1—100 nm range. Because of their small size, nanoparticles possess unique chemical, mechanical, electrical, optical, magnetic, and biological properties that make them ideal candidates for a variety of novel commercial and medical applications. Particularly, carbon-based nanomaterials such as fullerenes, nanotubes, and nanowires are considered key elements in the development of new nano-applications with the potential to be used in everything from biomedicine and drug delivery systems to nanoelectronics and energy conservation mechanisms. Relatively unknown, however, is how exposure to nanoscale particles effects normal biological functions and processes. A major focus of recent toxicological research has begun to investigate the interactions between the biological environment and engineered nanoparticles and to determine appropriate safety standards that should be considered when interacting with nanomaterials. The purpose of this research is to investigate how fullerene-based amino acids interact with the biological environment both at the tissue and cellular levels and to identify factors, such as mechanical stimulation, that increase these interactions.
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nanoparticles, skin penetration, toxicity, mechanical flexion
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Degree
MS
Discipline
Biomedical Engineering
