2022 Technical Division Student Poster Contest: FMD 2022 Technical Division Graduate Student Poster Contest
Program Organizers: TMS Administration
Monday 5:30 PM
February 28, 2022
Room: Exhibit Hall C
Location: Anaheim Convention Center
SPG-10: Assessing the Bio-stability of miRNA Conjugated Metal and Metal Oxide Nanoparticles via Electroanalysis: Chaimae El Ghzaoui1; Craig Neal1; Elayaraja Kolanthai1; Yifei Fu1; Udit Kumar1; Carlos Zgheib2; Kenneth Liechty2; Sudipta Seal1; 1University of Central Florida; 2University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine and Children's Hospital Colorado
Use of non-coding DNA/RNA as gene therapy has allowed treatment of serious, widely varying medical conditions by producing high-specificity bio-responses. To improve therapeutic efficacy, much research has been devoted to use of nanoparticle vehicles decorated with DNA/RNA sequences at their surfaces: increasing bio-molecule stability and/or allowing added therapeutic functionalities (e.g. site-targeting, local reactive oxygen species production (ROS)). In the presented study, we compare specific bio-active characters/properties of three candidate nano-carriers: gold (bioactive, metal), silica (bioinert, oxide) , and cerium oxide (bioactive, oxide) following modification with miRNA 146a. Electroanalytical methods and assays of enzyme-mimetic activities are used to characterize conjugates’ chemical stabilities and radical scavenging activities, in presence of ROS (approximating pathology-associated biochemical environment). Results from these studies suggest a potential synergistic effect (unique ROS scavenging behavior; conjugation-conferred electrochemical stability) from miRNA conjugation to cerium oxide. Similar gold or silica nanoparticle conjugates showed inactivity towards ROS and degradation over cycling, respectively.
SPG-11: Crumpled MoS2 Flexoelectric Energy Harvester: Yeageun Lee1; Hyung Jong Bae1; Md Haque1; SungWoo Nam2; 1University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; 2University of California, Irvine
Direct flexoelectricity is an electric polarization resulting from a strain gradient. Theoretically, the strength of the electric polarization inversely scales with the size of materials, since the strain gradient quadratically increases as the size of materials decreases. Two-dimensional (2D) materials with atomic thinness and mechanical flexibility are therefore a promising candidate. In this study, we fabricated flexoelectric energy harvesters by utilizing 2D molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) as an active material to generate high electric signals from an applied strain gradient. We used mechanical instability induced crumpling of stacked heterostructures of graphene/MoS2/graphene on an elastomeric substrate. The fabricated flexoelectric energy harvesting devices showed up to 1V of open circuit voltage (OCV) and 10nA of short circuit current (SCC) under repetitive bending motions, and 0.03V of OCV and 0.01nA of SCC under translational motions. Furthermore, the crumpled structure allows high stain endurance, and the devices demonstrated robust stability up to 100% stretching strain.
SPG-12: Dual miRNAs Functionalized Cerium Oxide for Angiogenesis and Anti-inflammatory: Elayaraja Kolanthai1; Aadith Menon1; Balaashwin Babu1; Yifei Fu1; Udit Kumar1; Craig Neal1; Kenneth Liechty2; Sudipta Seal1; 1University of Central Florida; 2University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine and and Childrens Hospital Colorado
Improper wound healing is a global medical problem with very few viable treatments. The culprit is often the dysregulation in inflammation and angiogenesis of wound areas which ultimately affect wound healing time. This is especially true in diabetic wounds, where a high level of reactive oxidative species (ROS) and low oxygen levels dominate the infected site. We have decorated anti-inflammatory and angiogenesis regulating miRNAs (miRNA-146a and miRNA 23a) on to cerium oxide nanoparticles (CNPs) using bioconjugation methods. The CNP works as a nanocarrier for the miRNA. Conjugation of both miRNAs on CNPs was confirmed by UV-vis, and fluorescence spectroscope/microscope. The particles size of CNPs increased after miRNA bioconjugation. These samples were also tested for biocompatibility, cell transfection efficiency, angiogenesis, and inflammation. Based on these results, the dual miRNA decorated CNPs could control inflammation, increase the amount of oxygen by forming new vascularization, and remove ROS at the wound site.
SPG-13: Engineering Ce3+ State in Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles Under The Presence of a Reducing Sugar: Balaashwin Babu1; Elayaraja Kolanthai1; Craig Neal1; Udit Kumar1; Sudipta Seal1; 1University of Central Florida
Ceria nanoparticles (CNP) are used in biological applications due to its ability to work as a reactive oxidative species (ROS) scavenger. Superoxide is a diatomic oxygen ROS which is responsible for the destruction of cells through oxidative damage. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) protein naturally scavenges O2- in biological systems but high levels require additional SOD-like catalysis. Most synthesized CNP contain high Ce4+ and acts a good catalase enzyme-mimetic. Some reported CNPs show high Ce3+ state but require a complex process. Herein, a simple wet-chemical synthesis utilizing glucose was engineered to create CNPs with high Ce3+ state. X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) show that the reducing potential of glucose allows for the enhanced Ce3+ state at physiological pH. The catalytic effect of synthesized CNP was tested using SOD and catalase assays. It was concluded that SOD activity was due to the enhanced Ce3+ activity while catalase activity was reduced.
SPG-16: Study of Anti-inflammatory miRNA146a Loading on Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles with Different Surface Facet: Yifei Fu1; Elayaraja Kolanthai1; Craig Neal1; Udit Kumar1; Carlos Zgheib2; Kenneth Liechty2; Sudipta Seal1; 1University of Central Florida; 2University of Colorado Denver
Nowadays, noncoding miRNA-based therapy has shown remarkable performance in the bio-medical field. However, miRNA delivery to the target site presents a great challenge in medicine due to its rapid degradation, low cell uptake, presence of endonucleases in blood, and negative polarity. To overcome these obstacles, many strategies have been applied, such as blocked nucleic acid integrating, polymer/lipid encapsulation, and nanoparticles conjugation to improve miRNA stability/delivery. In this study, the amine-modified miRNA-146a was conjugated to cerium dioxide nanoparticles with different surface facets by the bioconjugation method using carbonyldiimidazole as a linker. The hydrodynamic diameter and zeta-potential of nanoparticles are characterized by dynamic light scattering. Conjugated miRNAs on cerium dioxide nanoparticles were quantified by a commercial miRNA quantification assay and gel electrophoresis. Furthermore, miRNA-146a loading capacity and enzymatic activity were analyzed and results were compared between nanoparticles with different surface facets. The presentation will conclude with in vitro wound healing studies.
SPG-17: Upconversion Nanomaterials (UCNPs) Based Self-sterilizing Surfaces with Efficacy Against SARS-CoV-2: Udit Kumar1; Candace Fox1; Craig Neal1; Elayaraja Kolanthai1; kritika kedarinath1; Balaashwin Babu1; Erik Marcelo1; Yifei Fu1; Griffith Parks1; Sudipta Seal1; 1University of Central Florida
COVID-19 has shaped up to be one of the defining challenges of our lives. Among the primary modes of spread is surface to surface contamination. Under these circumstances, the shortcomings of traditional chemical agent-based disinfectants got more pronounced. A lack of regenerative properties and the short duration activity of traditional disinfectants impacted the efforts to contain the spread. Here we report photoactivated self-cleaning antiviral coating utilizing a Yttrium Orthosilicate-based up-conversion (visible to UV) nanomaterials. Our experiments have shown, UCNPs coated surfaces [Y2SiO5(1% Pr, 1% Gd)] has reduced active viral load (Coronavirus OC43) from 4*104 infectious units to 0 in 30 min and SARS-CoV-2 in 45 min. In addition, it has also shown antiviral properties against a range of viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, Rhinovirus, La Crosse virus, Vaccinia virus, Vesicular Stomatitis virus, Parainfluenza virus, and Zika virus.