Polymeric nanoparticle drug delivery systems have tremendous potential for controlled release of therapeutic agents to targeted cells. However, degradation of commonly used polyester-based delivery systems is very slow and unresponsive to the range of physiological conditions found within cells and tissues.
The goal of my research is to synthesize a nanoparticle that that is sensitive to the lower pH values observed in endosomes and among certain tissues; in an acidic environment, the nanoparticle would undergo amplified chain-shattering degradation. These features would promote endosomal release as well as enable targeting of acidic cancer tissues.