Figure Legend

Figure one: Two samples of NPs imaged with flash

photography.

Figure two: NPs after being centrifuged during the

recovery process

Figure three: A histogram comparing NP fluorescence

and concentration of NPs

Figure four: A histogram comparing NP fluorescence

and absorption time

Analysis Cont.

• Increased absorption time increases fluorescence

Methods Cont.

• Centrifuge

• Add ammonium hydroxide to return charge

• Grow 24 wells of Panc-1 cancer cells

• Pass cells to continue growth

• Add different concentrations of NPs to the wells

• Run timed additions of NPs

Acknowledgments

Nicole Hoffmann1, Venumadhav Korampally1, Sherine F. Elsawa2, Jason Misurelli2Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering1, Department of Biology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences2, Northern Illinois University

Kinetics of nanoparticles delivery to pancreatic cancer cells

Discussion

• Couple NPs with something toxic to pancreatic

cancer cells as a possible cancer treatment

• See if attaching different compounds to the NPs

enhances the delivery

• Compute NP retention in cells

• Calculate number of dyes per particle

• Analyze lifetime of NPs at Argonne National

Laboratory

Background

• Particle center filled with fluorescent dye.

• Hydrophobic core

• Hydrophilic shell

• Pancreatic cancer as a model

• Florescent NPs can be traced in cells

Abstract

This project will be undertaken with Dr. Venumadhav

Korampally from the Electrical Engineering department

and Dr. Sherine Elsawa from the Biology department. It

will be centered on the creation of nanoparticles and

their rate of absorption into cells. The fluorescent

nanoparticles (NPs) have a hydrophobic core and a

hydrophilic shell. This design allows for even dispersion

in aqueous solutions with minimal dye leakage. Part of

this research process is optimizing the NP stability to

prevent clumping of particles. When subjected to light,

the electrons jump to an excited state and emit different

wavelengths of light based on the dye. This light can

allow for detection of the NPs in biological applications;

having different colored dyes allows for more options.

These NPs will be tested with pancreatic cancer cells to

determine the kinetics of NP entry into cells and their

bio-distribution. They will also be tested over a 24 hour

period to determine how quickly the NPs enter cells and

if they remain inside cells (by determining if the cells

lose any fluorescence). Ultimately, the goal of NP

research is to attach NPs to specific

molecules/therapies that can help target cancer cells or

better boost the immune system in a noninvasive way.

Methods

• Create cores using PMSSQ, rhodamine chloride

dye, and PPG

Age 25 days

• Create shells using ammonium hydroxide

Age 25 days

• Add hydrochloric acid to remove charge

Engineering Results

• 80 mg of dye is effectively encased in the particles

• Different concentrations of dye are being tested to

find the optimal amount

• Low concentrations of dye have already proven

unsuccessful and quickly coagulate

• NPs created remain evenly dispersed throughout the

solution

McKearn Fellows

Program

OSEEL

NIU

Biological Results

• Confirmed the hypothesis that increased quantities of

NPs increases the fluorescence

• Work will be done to pinpoint the time necessary for

NP absorption

• Decreasing the amount of time wasted

• Optimize productivity and increase quantity of

experiments

Figure two

Figure one

Analysis

• Increased NP concentration increases fluorescence

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