Nanoparticle characterization and toxicity testing

Through support of the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), we are currently developing a suite of protocols and assays that will enable the thorough characterization and toxicity assessment of carbon nanoparticles.

Our collaborators at the University of Texas at Dallas have published initial developments which are described in the following article:

  • Wang et al., "Cytotoxicity screening of single-walled carbon nanotubes: Detection and removal of cytotoxic contaminants from carboxylated carbon canotubes," Molecular Pharmaceutics, 8(4), p. 1351-1361 (2011)
  • Wang et al., "Gel electrophoresis method to measure the concentration of single-walled carbon nanotubes extracted from biological tissue," Analytical Chemistry, 81(8), p. 2944-2952 (2009)

Nanoparticle-mediated thermal release of drug payloads

Through support from the U.S. Air Force, our company and academic collaborators at UT-Dallas are developing methods to release drug payloads upon thermal activation within targeted, diseased cells using graphene oxide nanoparticles.

More info coming soon ...

Carbon nanoparticle-mediated photothermal ablation

Through support from the National Science Foundation, we and our collaborators at UT-Dallas and UT-Southwestern Medical Center are developing methods to precisely deliver photothermally-active carbon nanoparticles to cancer cells for targeted thermal ablation therapy.

Preliminary data from our work is presented in the following articles:

  • Chakravarty et al., "Thermal ablation of tumor cells within antibody-functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes," PNAS, 105(25), p. 8697-8702 (2008).
  • Marches et al., "Specific thermal ablation of tumor cells using single-walled carbon nanotubes targeted by covalently-coupled monoclonal antibodies," International Journal of Cancer,  125(12), p. 2970-2977 (2009).
  • Marches et al, "The importance of cellular internalization of antibody-targeted carbon nanotubes in the photothermal ablation of breast cancer cells," Nanotechnology, 22(9), p. 095101 (2011).

Conjugation of nanoparticles to targeting agents

We have ongoing activity in developing robust methods to conjugate biological targeting agents to carbon nanoparticles. To compliment the conjugation methods that we are developing, protocols for quality control and assessment of carbon nanoparticle conjugates are being established which will enable carbon nanoparticle bioconjugates to be reproducibly manufactured.

More info coming soon ...