Chemistry Proposal – Shamila Gopalakrishnan

About the event

Speaker: Shamila Gopalakrishnan

Group: Dr. Anjali Sharma

Title: Targeted Dendrimer Nanocarriers for Advanced Therapeutics in Ocular and Brain Diseases

Abstract:

Ocular and central nervous system (CNS) diseases present significant global health challenges, impacting millions of individuals and resulting in profound disabilities. Current treatment options are constrained by inadequate drug delivery across physiological barriers, such as the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the blood-retinal barrier (BRB). This research investigates the development of glycodendrimer-based nanocarriers to facilitate cell-targeted drug delivery. Specifically, the proposal focuses on the development of mannose-functionalized dendrimers (ManD) that specifically target macrophages overexpressing mannose receptors in context of ocular diseases. This approach aims to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic agents, such as HU308 cannabinoids and methotrexate (MTX), for the treatment of proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), a rare eye condition leading to blindness. In addition, we are exploring the application of a 2-deoxy glucose-functionalized dendrimer platform (2DG-D) for the treatment of traumatic brain injury (TBI). This platform is designed to deliver rosiglitazone, a potent PPARγ agonist, specifically to neurons at the site of brain injury to enhance its anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. These glycodendrimer-based targeted drug delivery strategies seek to overcome the limitations associated with conventional therapies, offering less invasive and more precise treatment options with minimal systemic side effects. The findings from this research may have the potential to significantly alter the therapeutic landscape for ocular and CNS diseases, paving the way for future clinical applications.