Madhuri Sharon
Walchand .Research Centre for Nanotechnology & Bionanotechnology, India
Title: Carbon quantum dots and its conjugates to ferry drugs for controlled and targeted delivery
Biography
Biography: Madhuri Sharon
Abstract
Our efforts are in developing small water-soluble nanoparticles that can facilitate uptake and uniform distribution of drug. Photoluminescent, <5nm Carbon dots as well as conjugates of carbon dots with Mesoporous silica and gold nanoparticles have been envisaged by us as delivery vehicle because of their high chemical stability, resistance to photodegradation, biocompatibility, low toxicity, easily tuned optical properties and good water solubility. We have explored use of natural (Gum Arabic, Neem Gum, Rice husk and Sugar-cane juice) as well as chemical precursors (Sorbitol & Phenylalanine) for synthesis of crystalline C-dots using microwave assisted heating in alkaline environment. naOh was used as it acted as passivating molecule. Sucrose density gradient centrifugation was used to separate C- dots, which separated them into three fractions showing green fluorescence of different intensities in UV light. Optical and morphological properties of the C-dots were confirmed by UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fluorescence spectroscopy, Raman, XRD and FE-SEM. UV-Vis spectra recorded in the spectral window 200-600nm displayed typical signature absorption of C-dots. FE-SEM showed presence of spherical 5-10nm C-dots. C-dots/drug complex (using linkers) was synthesized & dialyzed against nanopure water to remove unattached drug and characterized by FTIR and TGA. Drug loading efficiency of C-dot was calculated as per different mathematical pharmaceutical models. The drug used for the present study included anti-cancer drug Doxorubicin, where folic acid was used as navigating molecule and Haloperidol a drug for treating neurodegnerative disease; here Cysteamine was used as targeting molecule.