Amphiphilic nanogels based on aliphatic polycarbonates: New biodegradable nanocarriers for hydrophobic compounds

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Daniel Klinger
• Subject Area: Polymer Materials ; Preparatory and Physical Chemistry of Polymers
• Term: from 2019 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 430915250

This project will develop a new versatile synthetic platform for the facile and scalable preparation of amphiphilic nanogels. Based on amphiphilic aliphatic polycarbonate networks, these new biodegradable colloidal materials will enable the tunable loading and release of hydrophobic compounds. While conventional overall hydrophilic nanogel delivery systems are limited to hydrophilic cargoes, this concept will open up new therapeutic options for the delivery of hydrophobic drugs. Our approach will enable precise adjustment of nanogel amphiphilicity to different hydrophobic cargoes without affecting the colloidal features (size, shape, crosslinking) of the nanogel carrier. As a result, the carrier system to be developed will, in future, enable an ideal comparability between therapeutic efficiencies of different nanogel-drug combinations. This project combines multiple concepts and methods in an interdisciplinary cooperation covering chemical, toxicological and pharmaceutical aspects.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants