Ian Wark Research Institute
ARC Special Research Centre
ARC Special Research Centre
Research Area: Colloid and interface science, formulation science, pharmaceutical science, biotechnology
Supervisors: Prof Clive Prestidge,
Dr Tim Barnes (Pharmacy and Medical Sciences),
Dr Angel Tan and Prof Ben
Boyd (Monash University)
Description: Liquid crystalline lipids are an important class of
soft materials that offer a number of applications for the encapsulation
and delivery of bio-active molecules, e.g. oral and injectable drugs
delivery systems, pesticide formulations and cosmetics. Research at The
Wark has shown that inorganic nanoparticles can be used to stabilise the
dispersed phases of liquid crystalline lipids and also to modulate the
liquid crystal phase behaviour. This project will advance knowledge in
the preparation, characterisation and application of hybrid nano-materials
composed of liquid crystalline lipids and nanoparticles.
Fig 1: A Dual Dye Confocal Fluorescence Image of a Liquid Crystalline Lipid Emulsion Stabilised by Silica Nanoparticles (K. Holloway et al, in prep)
Areas for Experiment Investigations
(i) A range of nanoparticles (with and without surface fuctionalisation)
will be incorporated into bulk and dispersed phases of liquid
crystalline lipids.
(ii) A wide range of colloid and interface analysis techniques will be
used characterise the mechanisms for nanoparticle interaction and
inclusion.
(iii) The colloid and structural stabilising effect of nanoparticles
will be quantified and optimised. In particular the stabilising
properties in biologically relevant environments will be determined,
e.g. GI and blood plasma.
(iv) Advanced synchrotron techniques will be used to determine the phase
behaviour and to image the structure of the hybrid systems.
(v) Bio-pharmaceutical applications of hybrid nanoparticle-LC lipid
materials will be investigated, e.g.:
a. encapsulation and release of model bio-molecules (proteins and poorly
soluble drugs)
b. specific in vitro and in vivo studies to demonstrate
biopharmaceutical performance, e.g. anti cancer activity.
References
(1) Lee K, Nguyen TH, Hanley T, Boyd B. Nanostructure of liquid
crystalline matrix determines in vitro sustained release and in vivo
oral absorption kinetics for hydrophilic model drugs, International
Journal of Pharmaceutics. 2009. 365:190-199.
(2) Fong WK, Hanley T, Boyd BJ. Stimuli Responsive Nanostructured Liquid
Crystals Provide 'On-demand' Drug Delivery In Vitro and In Vivo. Journal
of Controlled Release. Accepted 2009 Jan 19.
(3) A. Tan, S. Simovic, A.K. Davey, T. Rades, C. A. Prestidge,
'Silica-lipid hybrid (SLH) microcapsules: a novel oral delivery system
for poorly soluble drugs', Journal of Controlled Release, 134, 62-70,
2009
(4) Yao-Da Dong, I. Larson, T. Barnes, C.A. Prestidge, B. Boyd
"Adsorption of non-lamellar nanostructured liquid crystalline particles
to bio-relevant surfaces for improved delivery of bioactive compounds"
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 3(5) 1771-1780, 2011
(5) A. Tan, A.K. Davey, C.A. Prestidge, Silica-lipid hybrid (SLH) versus
non-lipid formulations for optimising the dose-dependent oral absorption
of celecoxib, Pharmaceutical Research, 28 2273?2287 2011
(6) V.J. Mohanraj, T.J. Barnes, C.A. Prestidge, 'Silica Nanoparticle
Coated Liposomes: A New Type of Hybrid Nanocapsule for Proteins', Int J.
Pharmaceutics, 392, 285-293, 2010.
