Proteins play a crucial role in life, taking part in all vital process in the body, and are therefore used as therapeutic agents in a diverse range of biomedical applications. When... Show more Proteins play a crucial role in life, taking part in all vital process in the body, and are therefore used as therapeutic agents in a diverse range of biomedical applications. When administrated into bodily fluids, most native proteins are prone to degradation or inactivation process. The challenges of protein delivery are overcoming poor stability, low permeability toward cell membrane. Among all existing materials for protein delivery, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) are one of the most promising intracellular nanocarriers due to its key properties: biocompatible, straightforward synthesis, and surface modification. For various biomedical applications, monodisperse MSNs with a particle size in the 50-200 nm range,3 controllable surface chemistry,4 and a large pore size (> 5 nm) are desired. This thesis presents a new method to synthesize large disc-like pore (10 ± 1 nm) containing MSNs with an elongated cuboidal-like geometry (90 × 43 nm), which effectively encapsulate and release proteins. Show less
Inorganic nanoparticles are attractive materials due to their unique properties and prominent role in the fields of material science, nanotechnology and nanomedicine. Modern therapies aim to... Show moreInorganic nanoparticles are attractive materials due to their unique properties and prominent role in the fields of material science, nanotechnology and nanomedicine. Modern therapies aim to deliver drugs specifically to defective cells and mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) are considered to be promising candidates for this goal. In this thesis the synthesis, characterization and bio-applications of silica nanoparticles will be discussed. Moreover, the potential application of mesoporous silica nanoparticles as drug delivery systems will be discussed using two animal models: the Xenopus laevis and the Danio rerio. Show less
