Molecular Playground/Targeting Peptide: Difference between revisions
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Drugs are exogenous compounds administered to organisms to generate therapeutic effects. However, drugs exhibit complex and, often, unintended side effects. Targeted drug delivery systems can ameliorate the problem of drug toxicity by concentrating drugs exclusively at sites of their intended activity. Furthermore, targeted drug vehicles can deliver molecules (DNA/RNA) with known therapeutic value, but which, by themselves, are incapable of reaching tissues and cells in their therapeutic form. Aided by the vast knowledge of biological systems made available over the last fifty years by discoveries in the fields of Molecular Biology, Genomics, Biochemistry, and Physiology, advances in Materials Science hold great promise in bringing about a pharmacological revolution. | Drugs are exogenous compounds administered to organisms to generate therapeutic effects. However, drugs exhibit complex and, often, unintended side effects. Targeted drug delivery systems can ameliorate the problem of drug toxicity by concentrating drugs exclusively at sites of their intended activity. Furthermore, targeted drug vehicles can deliver molecules (DNA/RNA) with known therapeutic value, but which, by themselves, are incapable of reaching tissues and cells in their therapeutic form. Aided by the vast knowledge of biological systems made available over the last fifty years by discoveries in the fields of Molecular Biology, Genomics, Biochemistry, and Physiology, advances in Materials Science hold great promise in bringing about a pharmacological revolution. | ||
[http://www.umass.edu/cbi/ Chemistry-Biology Interface Program at The University of Massachusetts, Amherst] | |||
[http://www.umass.edu/rotellogroup/ Rotello Group Website] | [http://www.umass.edu/rotellogroup/ Rotello Group Website] | ||
[[Image:DavesNanoparticle.jpg|thumb|left|Schematic representation of a 2 nm Au nanoparticle delivery vehicle, functioanlized with an RGD peptide (image by David Solfiell)]] | [[Image:DavesNanoparticle.jpg|thumb|left|Schematic representation of a 2 nm Au nanoparticle delivery vehicle, functioanlized with an RGD peptide (image by David Solfiell)]] | ||