Robust Hybrid Membrane-coated Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery & Imaging

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Help design image-guided drug delivery (IGDD) agents that ensure drugs reach cancer cells and have minimal impacts on healthy cells.

The fundamental chemistry developed in our lab will help improve our understanding of major diseases that impact the quality of human life. Despite rapid advances in early diagnostics and treatments, cancer remains one of the most deadly diseases, killing over 1,500 Americans daily. We work with image-guided drug delivery (IGDD) agents that probe tumor-drug interactions and track delivery and distribution of drugs and imaging agents. Such IGDD agents would replace chemotherapies (whose administration affects the whole body, systematically leading to toxicity.) Recent nanotechnology advances have led to the development of nanocarriers/nanoimaging agents for tracking site-directed drug delivery and therapeutic response. These IGDD platforms hold tremendous potential but have translational limitations that must be overcome for clinical implementation. The objective of this project is to design a new class of robust and biocompatible multi-functional IGDD agents comprised nanoparticles. The selected intern will be involved in the design and synthesis of IGDD platforms that will be used to improve site-directed delivery and biodistribution to cancer cells while minimizing toxicity to normal cells. The intern will be trained to characterize the nanomaterials using dynamic light scattering, UV-vis spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. For more information, visit: http://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1087&context=chem_fac
Females, minorities and first-generation college-bound students are strongly encouraged to apply.

Internship Dates:

Jun 18, 2018 - Aug 24, 2018

Location:

Portland, OR

Disciplines

Chemistry

Prerequisite:

Applicants should be meticulous, able to work with a diverse team, have completed a basic coursework in chemistry: calculating moles and molarity. Student will be required to wear closed toe shoes in the lab.

This position is funded by the American Chemical Society Project SEED. Therefore, applicants must be from low-income backgrounds in order to qualify for Project SEED stipend funding. Applicants should be prepared to provide proof of family income, i.e. IRS 1040, to the project SEED office prior to beginning the internship.