Liposomal Loading and Delivery of Proapoptotic BH3 Peptides

Student: Bobby Riehle
Department: Pharmaceutical Sciences
Advisor: Vladimir Torchilin

Abstract

This project aims to incorporate small peptides into liposomes with the purpose of increasing cellular delivery. These small peptides have been engineered to bind to BH3 domains on a variety of pro-apoptotic proteins (BID, BIM, BAD). These peptides must reach their targets in the cytosol of the cell. Based on the physicochemical properties of the peptides, namely larger size and increased polarity, they are unable to cross the cellular membrane. However, encapsulation into liposomes will allow for increased intracellular delivery.