AME - Nanoparticle Carriers for Novel Anti-Leishmania Chemotherapeutics

Leishmaniasis is a grouping of diseases caused by the protozoan parasites Leishmania spp., affecting 12 million people per year, with almost 350 million people at risk. Therefore, the WHO has declared leishmaniasis a Category I Neglected Tropical Disease. Leishmaniasis has a range of clinical manifestations, from self-healing skin lesions to hepatomegaly to fatality. Current anti-leishmania chemotherapeutics are limited by disease resistance, high off-target toxicity and low solubility. Therefore, we are investigating nanoparticle carriers for targeted delivery of a novel, hydrophobic small molecule chemotherapeutics. Students on this project will investigate nanoparticle synthesis and surface functionalization, drug loading and release, and in vitro cytotoxicity. This project is a collaboration with the McDowell Lab in Biological Sciences.

Name of research group, project, or lab
Roeder Lab
Logistics Information:
Project categories
Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Student ranks applicable
Sophomore
Junior
Senior
Student qualifications

Engineering (preferred) or science background. 

Hours per week
2 credits / 6-12 hours
3 credits / 12+ hours
Compensation
Research for Credit
Number of openings
2
Techniques learned

Nanoparticle synthesis and characterization. Drug delivery and cell culture.

Project start
Spring 2025
Contact Information:
Mentor
Ryan Roeder
rroeder@nd.edu
Professor
Name of project director or principal investigator
Ryan K. Roeder
Email address of project director or principal investigator
rroeder@nd.edu
2 sp. | 6 appl.
Hours per week
2 credits / 6-12 hours (+1)
2 credits / 6-12 hours3 credits / 12+ hours
Project categories
Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering (+1)
Aerospace and Mechanical EngineeringChemical and Biomolecular Engineering