It sounds like something that might have happened aboard the Starship Enterprise. Instead, it’s happening in Taiwan. The students are spending the summer in Taiwan as part of an academic exchange program between Missouri S&T and National Dong Hwa University (NDHU). Working with NDHU’s Dr. Han-Jung Lee, they will learn how to combine quantum dots and protein transduction domains to allow them to work together to improve drug delivery, among other uses.
“The applications of this system are tremendous in both basic biomedical research and clinical significance,” says Dr. Yue-wern Huang, associate professor of biological sciences and an expert in toxicology. Huang is accompanying the students to Taiwan.
Quantum dots are so small that 500,000 of them could fit on the head of a pin. The dots are often used in bioimaging because of their ability to emit fluorescence. By attaching quantum dots to an antibody, it can be tracked inside the body. For example, a drug administered to target a specific organ can be traced to see if it reaches the intended target.
Protein transduction domains (PTD) are very small proteins with nine identical amino acids. Their simple makeup allows them to easily enter cells, which are typically very selective. By acting as a transporter, these proteins can be used to carry several biomolecules into cells.
Using the fluorescent properties of quantum dots and the transporter abilities of the PTDs, researchers could send biomaterials, such as drugs, into the body and see which organs they reach. In Taiwan, the Missouri S&T students will learn to combine the two systems.
Huang says this interdisciplinary approach is relatively new. “In the past nanoscientists specialized in quantum dots, but now they’re teaming with biological scientists, who only know proteins,” Huang says. “The multidisciplinary approach combines the two sciences to form unique advantages.”
Missouri S&T students participating in the Taiwan research exchange program are Jamie Statler, a senior in biological sciences from St. Charles, Mo., Angela Rudolph, a recent graduate in chemistry from Kansas City, Mo., and Isaac Deatherage, a senior in biological sciences from Ava, Mo.
Dr. Katie Shannon, assistant professor of biological sciences at Missouri S&T, and Dr. Jeff Winiarz, assistant professor of chemistry at Missouri S&T are also involved with the project. The group is assembling a team and plans to seek funding from the National Institutes of Health.
During their time in Taiwan, the students will be chronicling their research, and daily life in Taiwan, on Missouri S&T’s research blog at visions.mst.edu.
