Development of a Structural Nucleic Acid Delivery Vector Technology

The delivery of biomacromolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids to specific cells inside the body remains a critical challenge in contemporary biomedical research. Delivery technologies to accomplish this are ideally safe, effective, versatile, and scalable, but the current commercial technolog...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Knappe, Grant Alexander
Other Authors: Bathe, Mark
Format: Thesis
Published: Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2024
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/155323
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5041-2383
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author Knappe, Grant Alexander
author2 Bathe, Mark
author_facet Bathe, Mark
Knappe, Grant Alexander
author_sort Knappe, Grant Alexander
collection MIT
description The delivery of biomacromolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids to specific cells inside the body remains a critical challenge in contemporary biomedical research. Delivery technologies to accomplish this are ideally safe, effective, versatile, and scalable, but the current commercial technologies often fall short of these characteristics. Nucleic acid nanoparticles, which are computationally-designed nanostructured assemblies of nucleic acid, represent a promising foundational technology to utilize in delivery applications. Here, I present several advancements towards developing a delivery platform designed on nucleic acid nanoparticles. After introducing the current challenges in delivery and the current commercial technologies, I detail why nucleic acid nanoparticles offer promise as components of a delivery technology. Then, I describe my thesis work on evaluating the safety of nucleic acid nanoparticles in pre-clinical animal models, on their fabrication with a focus on integrating new chemistries and characterization techniques, and on a proof-of-concept demonstration in using nucleic acid nanoparticles to deliver viral antigens in a vaccine formulation. Finally, I summarize where I think the state of the technology is today, where its potential could reach, and what the path to reach that potential is.
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spelling mit-1721.1/1553232024-06-28T03:17:09Z Development of a Structural Nucleic Acid Delivery Vector Technology Knappe, Grant Alexander Bathe, Mark Hammond, Paula T. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Chemical Engineering The delivery of biomacromolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids to specific cells inside the body remains a critical challenge in contemporary biomedical research. Delivery technologies to accomplish this are ideally safe, effective, versatile, and scalable, but the current commercial technologies often fall short of these characteristics. Nucleic acid nanoparticles, which are computationally-designed nanostructured assemblies of nucleic acid, represent a promising foundational technology to utilize in delivery applications. Here, I present several advancements towards developing a delivery platform designed on nucleic acid nanoparticles. After introducing the current challenges in delivery and the current commercial technologies, I detail why nucleic acid nanoparticles offer promise as components of a delivery technology. Then, I describe my thesis work on evaluating the safety of nucleic acid nanoparticles in pre-clinical animal models, on their fabrication with a focus on integrating new chemistries and characterization techniques, and on a proof-of-concept demonstration in using nucleic acid nanoparticles to deliver viral antigens in a vaccine formulation. Finally, I summarize where I think the state of the technology is today, where its potential could reach, and what the path to reach that potential is. Ph.D. 2024-06-27T19:44:55Z 2024-06-27T19:44:55Z 2024-05 2024-05-16T14:02:34.705Z Thesis https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/155323 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5041-2383 In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted Copyright retained by author(s) https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-EDU/1.0/ application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology
spellingShingle Knappe, Grant Alexander
Development of a Structural Nucleic Acid Delivery Vector Technology
title Development of a Structural Nucleic Acid Delivery Vector Technology
title_full Development of a Structural Nucleic Acid Delivery Vector Technology
title_fullStr Development of a Structural Nucleic Acid Delivery Vector Technology
title_full_unstemmed Development of a Structural Nucleic Acid Delivery Vector Technology
title_short Development of a Structural Nucleic Acid Delivery Vector Technology
title_sort development of a structural nucleic acid delivery vector technology
url https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/155323
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5041-2383
work_keys_str_mv AT knappegrantalexander developmentofastructuralnucleicaciddeliveryvectortechnology