NanoMedicine

The NanoMedicine division targets the development of new strategies for tailored molecular diagnostics and therapeutics. Activities comprise two main lines of research:

1) Lab-on-chip (LoC) technology for ultrasensitive, automated diagnostics.

2) Nanomedicine tools for intracellular delivery of imaging probes and therapeutics.

The LoC project builds upon an IIT proprietary technology based on Surface Acoustic Waves (SAW)-driven microfluidics. Aim of this project is the development of a portable, battery operated LoC system for high-throughput, cost effective diagnostics.

The second line of research aims to design and produce a toolbox of smart, biocompatible molecular machines capable of reaching chosen compartments in specific cells in whole organisms or in explanted primary cells. These molecular machines will recognize and specifically flag one or more biomolecular targets, and release their payload (e.g. a drug or an imaging probe) in a controlled fashion. This general strategy is expected to lead to non-conventional diagnostic and therapeutic tools tailored to patients' diseases and triggering low side effects.

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Fig.1: Intracellular delivery of a genetically encoded pH-reporter conjugated to a cell penetrating peptide. By fusing E1GFP to Tat peptide it was possible to monitor multi step endocytosis from the initial cell-surface binding through to the intracellular endocytic network.