03/21/2022
By Kwok Fan Chow

The Kennedy College of Science, Department of Chemistry, invites you to attend a research proposal defense by Harini Perera entitled “Uptake of Trehalose Nanoparticles by Mycobacteria – Mechanistic Investigation.” The defense will be held virtually on Thursday, March 31, 2022 at 1 p.m.
Zoom ID: 950 9273 1807
Passcode: 704945

Committee Chair: Prof. Mingdi Yan, Chemistry Department, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Committee Members:

  • Prof. Olof Ramstrom, Chemistry Department, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Prof. Marina Ruths, Chemistry Department, University of Massachusetts Lowell
  • Prof. Matthew Gage, Chemistry Department, University of Massachusetts Lowell

Abstract:

Mycobacteria outer membrane, which is rich in lipids and important structural carbohydrates such as trehalose, has been the prime target for developing novel imaging probes and therapeutics against tuberculosis. We have shown that trehalose, when conjugated to nanoparticles, led to specific interactions with mycobacteria, and trehalose functionalization enhanced the bacteria killing of drug delivery systems against mycobacteria. However, the mechanism of how trehalose mediates the interactions of nanoparticles with mycobacteria is not well understood. To investigate this ligand mediated interaction, we developed a photoactivatable trehalose-functionalized nanoprobe that could photo crosslink the protein receptor that facilitates trehalose binding. Our nanoprobe could magnetically isolate the trehalose-bound protein complex without additional affinity purification. This method is expected to facilitate the detection of receptors expressed in other bacterial species or human cells by simply changing the ligand.

All interested students and faculty members are invited to attend.