Research Projects

Engineered nanoparticles (NPs) have numerous biomedical applications due to their unique properties, such as their ability to cross plasma membranes for targeted drug delivery. Small NPs can directly penetrate plasma membranes, while large ones are transported via wrapping. The wrapping behavior of hard NPs is controlled by particle size, shape, adhesion strength, and membrane tension. Deformable particles interact with biomembranes, such as wrapping vesicles at lipid membranes, entering filamentous viruses into host cells, and cellular uptake of polymeric particles. Deformable NPs can change shapes, influencing their wrapping behavior. Biomolecular condensates (BMCs) have been discovered in liquid-liquid phase separation inside cells, often interacting with different cellular organelles. BMCs can lead to the formation of a capillary bridge between chromatin fibers and influence genome structural properties. These membrane-less mesoscopic organelles exhibit low interfacial tension and behave like simple liquid nanodroplets (NDs). A deep theoretical understanding of the interaction of NDs with cellular organelles is necessary for biomedical applications. This proposal investigates the wrapping and self-assembly behavior of NDs at planar bio-membranes using mathematical models and energy minimization techniques. The goal is to obtain different wrapping diagrams and calculate the membrane-mediated interaction potential, which can be used to design advanced bio-nanostructured materials for drug delivery.