The Golden Opportunities Of Small Science: Nanotechnology At Mintek

Transcription

1 Council for Mineral Technology The Golden Opportunities Of Small Science: Nanotechnology At Mintek 05 June, 2009 Robert Tshikhudo Head: Nanotech / Dr

2 Outline Nano-Introduction Mintek Nano Overview Au Nanotech Perspective TDDS Development Point-of-Care Testing Some Challenges

3 APPROCHES Nano- Introduction SCALE OF THINGS nm 10-9 m

4 Objectives Development of Nanostructured Materials and their Applications in Health (diagnostics( and therapeutics), Water (monitoring( and remediation) ) and Other Related Areas

5 Nano Overview Two Operational Programmes Different objectives but activities overlap sometimes Operational plan focus on: Global Market Interest Gold Nanotechnology- Industrial applications Semi-commercial gold nanoparticle Lateral flow POC Gold based targeted drug delivery Electrochemical biosensors Operational plan focus on: Alignment to National N&N Strategic Objectives Human Capital Development Development of Research Platforms Local Water and Health Challenges Collaboration networks

6 Nanotechnology Innovation Centre DST/Mintek Nanotechnology Innovation Centre

7 Nano Development Strategy Mintek and collaborators Biolabel Toxicity Uptake Imaging/Systems UWC Product Development Sensors Lateral flow Electrochemical Systems RU End-users Water Systems Treatment Analysis UJ Other Applications Systems Clays Ceramics Others Nanominerals Planning, Design, Synthesis, Characterisation, Services, Clean room facility, Validation Development Platforms Core Partnerships, Properties,Functionalities and Services

8 Au Nanoscience and Technology Cancer diag & therapy 1857 Faraday s NPs Faulk Immunogold MPC Russels Halas El-Sayed Nanoshell Mintek Au Catalysts Au Colloids Turkevitch s 80 s 90 s 00 s Feyman There s Plenty of Room at the Bottom Schmid Au 55 STM (81) and AFM (86) invented Brust s 2-phase system Biocompatible NPs Delivery systems Cytotoxicity of NPs Prototypes & Devices Mirkin s DNA gold nanotech Lycugus cup, 4 th centuary

9 Mintek s Gold Nanotech Toolbox Versatile Kit for Diagnostics and Targeted Drug Delivery Au core = nm Optical properties -Absorber of light -Scatterer of light Functional ligand molecule Different spacer length Imparting biocompatibility Stability Solubility Multifunctionality Place exchange rxn Functional group= Carboxy, hydroxy, amine, azide,, maleimide, NTA, biotin etc Versatile functionality Bioconjugation -Carbodiimide -Biotin-avidin -Click chemistry

10 Nanoparticles Synthesis- Example + (2-100 nm) SH SH Biocompatible ligands Size-exclusion Chromatography Agarose gel electrophoresis TEM image 200 nm Au MPCs 14 nm

11 Nanoparticles Synthesis- Example 100nm 200 nm 100nm 100nm 100nm

12 Nanomaterials Scale Up (Simple, reliable, cost-effective, environmental friendly) 20 L 20 L Our Nanoparticles are: 1. Extremely stable 2. Functionality of choice 3. Biocompatible 4. Less toxic 5. High purity 6. Monodisperse Purification

13 Some Au Products in Mintek Range NP NP LM NP LM Colloids (M)MPCs Bioconjugates BM Borohydride Au NPs (6 nm) Citrate Au NPs (14 nm) Citrate Au NPs (20 nm) Citrate Au NPs (24 nm) Citrate Au NPs (30 nm) Citrate Au NPs (40 nm Citrate Au NPs (70 nm) Alkane thiolated Au MPCs (3 nm Alkane thiolated Au MPCs (6 nm) PEG-OH Au MPCs (6 and 14 nm) PEG-COOH Au MPCs (6 and 14 nm) PEG-Biotin AuMMPCs (14 nm) PEG-NTA AuMMPCs (14 nm) PEG- N 3 AuMMPCs (14 nm) AuPEG- antibody AuPEG-antigen AuPEG-DNA AuPEG-Enzyme AuPEG-Avidin AuPEG-STV AuPEG- Sugar Citrate Au NPs (100 nm) PEG- mal AuMMPCs AuNPs-custom made

14 Systems and Devices Fabrication

15 Targeted Drug Delivery Systems Gold Toolkit Box Gold Nanoparticles products Tools for optical and electrochemical sensors Gold systems for cancer therapy Gold systems for obesity research Gold Nanoparticle (Optical properties) biomaker

16 Point-of-Care Diagnostic Testing POC TESTS Disease Selection Matrix Selection Human health Animal health Cassetes types (Optical) Membranes types (Electrochemical) Cancer and Infectious Foot and Mouth Saliva or blood Urine testing Nucleic acid/ Protein testing Optical Electrochemical Lateral flow Device Sensor Device

17 Electrochemical Sensors Gold nanoparticle system Collaboration with Cranfied (UK) Biomaker -Library of biomakers -Market studies RSA company NDA signed Cranfield Health (UK)

18 Optical Diagnostics: Lateral Flow Devices Sample pad Conjugate pad Membrane Gold nanoparticle tool T C =gold -Library of biomakers -Market studies Mintek s POC test RSA company NDA signed

19 In-house POC Diagnostics T O D A Y TOMORROW +ve -ve -ve +ve Beads Lateral flow device Electrochemical sensors -ve +ve Colorimetric tests Ideal POC diagnostic test 1. Affordable, Sensitive and Specific 2. User-friendly, Rapid and Robust 3. Equipment-free 4. Portable and practical

20 Research Output Contributions in the world leading publishing bodies

21 Some Challenges Controlled synthesis of anisotropic NPs Cellular uptake studies of nanoparticles is poorly understood Toxicity of nanoparticles

22 Conclusions The future of gold nanotech looks promising! NPs can be prepared and biomolecular functionalities of choice can be attached Biomolecules retain their biological activities Large quantities of gold nanoparticles can be produced They can be used for point-of-care diagnostics and targeted drug delivery amongst other applications

23 Acknowledgements Determined to improve the quality of life

24 Thank you