This research opportunity centers on advancing experimental measurement methods to quantify complexes formed between charge-altering releasable transporters (CARTs) with polyelectrolytes.  Modern organocatalytic synthesis of well-defined and functional CART molecules interact with oppositely charged polyelectrolytes to form polyplex particles.  These functional polyplex particles have numerous opportunities for the application of polymers in life science research.[1]  There is much to learn concerning their mechanism of formation.  This research opportunity, will emphasize characterization aspects of these multi-component polyplexes.  The experimental investigation may utilize automated light scattering, cryogenic electron microscopy, small-angle x-ray and neutron scattering, and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy to understand the relationships between CART molecular structure (block ratio, charge fraction, degradability), polyanion, and resulting polyplex structure. Advancing data analysis methods and instrumentation are important to this opportunity.   

 (1) McKinlay, C. J.; Vargas, J. R.; Blake, T. R.; Hardy, J. W.; Kanada, M.; Contag, C. H.; Wender, P. A.; Waymouth, R. M. Charge-Altering Releasable Transporters (CARTs) for the Delivery and Release of MRNA in Living Animals. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2017, 114 (4), E448–E456 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1614193114.

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