学术报告

报告题目：Synthetic Janus Base Nanotubes for Translational Nanomedicine

Janus base nanotubes (JBNTs), a family of non-covalent nanomaterials, are self-assembled from synthetic Janus bases inspired from DNA base pairs. Due to their versatile and biomimetic nature, we designed, synthesized and engineered these nanotubes into a variety of non-covalent architectures for biomedical applications. One direction of our research focuses on develop tiny, nano-rod shaped smart delivery vehicles, named Nanopieces. We have assembled them by “sandwiching” negative charged RNAs among positively charged JBNTs. Importantly, we have demonstrated its therapeutic potential in delivering siRNA into “difficult-to-penetrate” cartilage tissue and successfully inhibited osteoarthritis progression in an animal model. Another direction of our research is to develop JBNTs into an injectable, multi-functional Nano-Matrix for tissue regeneration. Vastly different from Nanopieces, the Nano-Matrix is a macro-sized scaffold co-assembled between JBNTs and other functional materials (such as ceramic particles or matrix proteins). As an example, we are able to dramatically improve growth plate regeneration by injecting a Nano-Matrix into growth plate fractures inside a long bone. As a summary, the Janus base system presents substantial versatility in engineering at molecular and material levels. We can design and construct them into different nano-structures for a variety of biomedical applications.

报告人：Prof. Yupeng Chen

Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Connecticut

Professor Yupeng Chen is a Fudan alumnus. He received his bachelor degree in Chemistry from Fudan University in 2006. He is now an Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Connecticut. Prof. Chen has a long-term interest in translating advances from nanotechnology into medical applications. In particular, he focuses on engineering self-assembled Janus-base nanotubes into various non-covalent architectures for drug delivery and tissue regeneration. His work has resulted in several US and international patents successfully licensed to industry. Prof. Chen serves as the Principal Investigator of several competitive national research grants such as NIH R01. He has also won several prestige awards, including the Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from NSF in 2017 and the New Investigator Recognition Award from Orthopaedic Research Society in 2013 (he was the top-one awardee selected from 545 applicants all over the world).

报告时间：2019年7月30日，周2，14:00

报告地点：江湾化学楼A3030

邀请人：乔亮  研究员