Jessica Kaczor
Pronouns: she/her
Research Mentor(s): Kemao Xiu
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Biologic and Materials Sciences & Prosthodontics / Dentistry
Program: UROPF
Session: Session 4 (1:40pm – 2:30pm)
Authors: Jessica Kaczor, Kemao Xiu
Abstract
Despite advances in the field of gene therapy, there is not a single polymeric gene vector that is able to assist in the process of transferring genes into cells effectively. Overall, the goal of the study is to create and optimize a polymer that performs the transfection of genes into a cell efficiently with a low cell toxicity rate, to eventually be used in in-vivo studies. The study uses methods of polymer synthesis, such as esterification, amidation, precipitation, dialysis, freeze drying, and characterization techniques like, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), UV spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) to synthesize the ideal molecule. To evaluate the gene packaging ability of the product, agarose gel electrophoresis is used, and to evaluate the gene delivery effectiveness, transfection efficiency was assessed. Through the preliminary analysis, the synthesis of the hypothetically ideal polymer was able to be formed and produced, results in a good packaging ability. However, the transfection and cytotoxicity of the polymer still need to be tested through incoming cell studies. The implications of these findings is the creation of a polymer that can be used as a polymeric gene vector in future gene therapy treatments in healthcare systems.
