Biomimetic membrane and nanoparticle interactions

The rapid development of drug-carrying nanoparticles for various diseases has highlighted a significant gap in our understanding of how these particles interact with cell membranes at a molecular level. Challenges in predicting nanoparticle behavior within the complex biological environment have hindered their biomedical applications due to issues like membrane deformation. Despite extensive research, many nanoparticle systems fail to translate from laboratory to clinical settings.
To address this, we aim to study the interactions between nanoparticle-mimicking structures and real cell membranes in real-time. By combining these functionalized nanoparticles with biological molecules, we can better understand how drug carriers function at the nano-bio interface. Our research will investigate how these nanoparticle-lipid complexes behave under different conditions, varying size, shape, and surface properties. This study will explore the self-assembly behaviour of the nanoparticle-lipid complexes at varying nanoparticle size, morphology and surface properties; their interfacial transport and mechanical properties in bulk as well as in 2D geometry. Using Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS), fluorescence micorscopy, Cryo Electron Micorscopy (CryoEM), and in situ Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), we aim to understand the structural deformations of lipid membrane and nanoparticles, formed via diffusion, site-specific adhesion, electrostatic interaction, etc. Further research involves the interaction of drug loaded nanoparticles with lipid membrane, aiming successful delivery of drug to the target site.