nano-Medicine; in Life, Plant & AgroFood

Building on the foundations laid in nano-Introduction, this course will focus on applications of nanomaterials in medicinal and health applications in the broadest sense, from human, to animal, and plant sciences. Various types of solid and soft nanoparticle systems will be studied that can act as host material or scaffolds used for bio/medical applications. Solid particles comprise carbon-based material (e.g., fullerenes and carbon nanotubes), metallic particles (Au, Ag), oxides (e.g., magnetic iron oxide, luminescent lanthanides), and semiconductor particles (quantum dots). Soft nanoparticle systems treated comprise nanometer-sized well-defined polymers (dendrimers), aggregates (coordination polymers, micelles, liposomes), and virus-like particles. The (bio)chemical functionalization of the inside and/or outside of the nanoparticles will be treated within the context of selective/targeted use in biomedical and clinical applications. Fundamental differences between animal and plant cells will be discussed in the context of interactions with nanomaterials.

During laboratory classes, illustrative experiments are executed for the preparation, characterization, and visualization of nanomaterials, (bio)chemical functionalization of solid & soft nanoparticles, coordination polymers, and devices. Lectures on state-of-the-art use of nanomedicinal applications, including demonstrations of translational research, will be given during an excursion to the Interventional Molecular Imaging group at the Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC).

Ethical aspects of applying nanotechnology in medicinal applications in Health, Plant, and Agrofood will be treated; reading, interpreting, and evaluating scientific literature in the field of nanomedicine will be an integral part of the course. Especially in relation to the use of figures, schemes, and relative sizes of nanomaterials and (bio)(macro)molecules.

• Understand nanomaterials, surface modification, and supramolecular chemistry

• Describe how nanomaterials can play a role in toxicity and medicine

• Describe different classes of nanoparticles, from solid metal particles to oxides, from semiconductor to nanotube material, and from dendrimers to micelles and liposomes

• Discriminate between diagnostic, therapeutic, theragnostic and multimodal nanoparticles

• Evaluate the translational aspect of nanotechnology from Health to Plant and Agrofood, and vice versa

• Synthesise and characterise (bio)chemically functionalised nanomedicinal materials

• Understand the benefits and the potential of biomedical imaging (e.g. MRI) for applications in Health, Plant & AgroFood

• Summarise and review scientific literature in the field of (bio)nanotechnology/nanomedicine and critically reflect on the use of schemes/cartoons and the length scales therein

• Written test with open and closed questions (50%)
• Performance (10%) The performance during the laboratory classes; presence is compulsory.
• Mandatory attendance (%) Presence during excursion is compulsory. Pass/fail.
• Assignment report (40%) Report on the experiments, literature assignments and excursion. Groups size of 3-4 students. Based on individual performance, teachers can deviate from the group grade for individual students. When the report is not handed in in time, it can be handed in at the next re-sit.

ZSS06100 Laboratory Safety, ZSS06200 Fieldwork Safety

• Ljiljana Fruk \& Antonina Kerbs (2021) BioNanoTechnology; Concepts and Applications. 438p. ISBN: 978-1-108-45290-8