Project 6-Drug Delivery

In 2009, a joint research and training collaboration was initiated between KACST and the Center for the Chemistry of Integrated Systems (CCIS) at Northwestern University (NU). Over the past three years, the collaboration has proven successful and additional funding is being sought to accomplish additional goals in five major thematic areas of chemistry and nanoscience aimed at real-life, potentially commercializable applications. The five thematic thrusts and their specific projects include: Theme 1 – Energy Generation and Storage (Project 1, High Density Hydrogen Storage via Covalent Bonds and Hydrocarbon Extension; Project 2, High-Performance Proton Exchange Membranes for Fuel Cells; Project 3, Low-Cost Solar Power); Theme 2 – Molecular Electronics (Project 4, Supercapacitors – Organic Redox Centers for Increased Charge Storage Capacity; Project 5, Lightweight and Flexible All-Organic Batteries; Project 6, Molecular Memory Devices Based on Nanoporous Coordination Polymers); Theme 3 – NanoBio (Project 7, Theranostic Drug Delivery Platforms; Project 8, Multitherapeutic Photodynamic Therapy; Project 9, Selective Recognition for Drug Delivery; Project 10, Sugar-Responsive Release of Insulin from Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles; Project 11, Multifunctional Nanoparticles for Diagnosis and Treatment); Theme 4 – Water Purification (Project 12, Efficient High-Performance Membranes for Desalination); and Theme 5 – Catalysts (Project 13, Organocatalyst Nanoporous Coordination Polymers). The project work, which will be carried out at NU by postdocs, graduate students and Visiting Scholars from KACST under the direction of Professor Stoddart, will involve the synthesis of new compounds and materials along with their detailed characterization, performance evaluation and refinement toward stated objectives.