In this project we investigate and model interactions between nanoparticles and proteins in serum and cellular environments. We characterize their properties (size, polydispersity, surface charge density etc.) and the resulting interaction potential and particle stability as a function of solvent conditions (pH, ionic strength).

We study the interactions of these particles with a set of model proteins covering a representative array of protein sizes and charges. We investigate the fate of the particles in a crowded mixture of proteins, thus mimicking the interaction of nanoparticles with the cell cytoplasm. Experimentally, we combine several scattering techniques (Static and dynamic light scattering, depolarized light scattering, small-angle x-ray and neutron scattering, confocal and electron microscopy), various labeling schemes that allow for the detection of complex formation, and numerical simulations.

The project has been completed in 2014.

People:Marc Obiols-Rabasa, Alke Fink (University of Fribourg), Peter Schurtenberger.

Contact person: Peter Schurtenberger