Magnetic nanoparticle assisted gene delivery

Gene delivery is the process of delivering foreign DNA into host cells. Viruses are commonly used because of their very high transfection efficiency. Unfortunately, viral based delivery systems have serious safety concerns such as insertional mutagenesis and severe immune response. In contrast, non-viral based delivery systems such as magnetically enhanced gene delivery technique have good safety profile. In the magnetically enhanced gene delivery technique, DNA complexed with polymer coated aggregated magnetic nanoparticles (AMNPs) is used for effecting transfection. The main objective of this project is the synthesis, characterization, property evaluation and performance of MNPs in in vitro studies of gene delivery. Our hypotheses are as follows: PEI-AMNPs will yield higher transfection efficiency than PEI due to the higher concentration of complexes on the cell surface. PEI-AMNPs with better magnetic properties (higher saturation magnetization and susceptibility), lower N/P ratio and smaller complex size will result in higher transfection efficiency than PEI-AMNPs with poorer magnetic properties (lower saturation magnetization and susceptibility), higher N/P ratio and larger complex size. The mechanism of magnetic transfection is endocytosis.DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (MSE