Scientific Committee of Targeting Mitochondria awarded Dr Shanta Dhar for her work
During Targeting Mitochondria 2012, the Scientific Committee awarded Dr Shanta Dhar for her Scientific Contribution.
Dr Shanta Dhar, from University of Georgia, USA, was awarded for her scientific contribution for her work about Mitochondria Targeted Nanocarriers for Delivery of Contrast Agents and Therapeutics.
More information about this work:
Mitochondrial dysfunctions cause many human disorders. A platform technology for carrying bioactive molecules to the mitochondrial matrix could be of enormous potential benefit in therapeutics. We are developing a rationally designed, programmable nanoparticle (NP) platform for diagnosis and targeted delivery of therapeutics for mitochondrial dysfunction related diseases. An optimized formulation for maximalmitochondrial uptake was identified through in vitro screening of a library of charge and size varied biodegradable NPs and the uptake was studied by qualitative and quantitative investigations of cytosolic and mitochondrial fractions of cells treated with mitochondria-targeted blended NPs. The versatility of this platform was demonstrated by studying a variety of mitochondria-acting therapeutics for different applications. These include mitochondria targeting chemotherapeutics for cancer, mitochondrial antioxidant for Alzheimer’s disease, and mitochondrial uncoupler for obesity. On the cardiovascular front, we are developing a longcirculating hybrid NP platform to selectively target macrophages and sense apoptosis for detection of plaque vulnerable to embolism.
Marrache, S. & Dhar, S.; "Engineering of blended nanoparticle platform for delivery of mitochondria-acting therapeutics", Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 2012, 109, 16288-16293.
About Dr Shanta Dhar:
Her career goal is to establish a strong research program in the areas of combination therapies with particular emphasis on nanomedicine. She wants to establish a strong extramurally funded research program centered in finding novel therapies for various diseases including cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Her research program includes development, pre-clinical and clinical testing of different nanomedicine platforms. As a researcher with a strong background in chemistry, she hopes to provide the scientific community with valuable knowledge that can guide into the discovery of potential drug candidates and vaccines.
