Biopharmaceuticals. The Centre of Excellence in Biopharmaceuticals (CoEBP) is Manchester based centre (Dickson), which has expertise in expression of therapeutic proteins, including antibodies, and downstream bioprocessing. The network will work closely with CoEBP and other commercial partners (Oxyrane) to develop biopharmaceuticals. For example site-specific protein modification methods (e.g. glycosylation, pegylation and labelling etc.) are being developed together with the conjugation of drugs and other small molecules to proteins in order to modulate their activity.

Development of new drug delivery systems. Understanding and controlling how drug-loaded (nano) structures can gain access to the cytoplasm is of particular interest [1]. Control over the surface chemistry of responsive particles is also being used to target cells and to influence biological systems at the cellular level (Webb & Tirelli). Responsive particles are being designed so to release their chemical payloads in response to environmental factors [2] such as the oxidative environment produced by inflammatory reactions [3] or external magnetic signals [4]. This builds upon our experience synthesising surface-functionalised organic and inorganic particles [5] and studying multivalent adhesive interactions between membranes [6]. This experience places us in a strong position to develop new experimental systems that measure cell-particle interactions, their up-take into cells and trafficking within cells using confocal fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry as well as MRI for magnetic targeting and release.

[1] Tirelli et al. Expert Opinion on Drug Delivery, 2010, 7, 895; [2] Tirelli et al. Nature Materials 2004, 3, 183; [3] Tirelli et al. Langmuir, 2005, 21, 411; [4] Webb et al. Chem. Commun. 2009, 17, 2287-2289; [5] Webb et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129, 12080;  [6] Webb et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128, 14462.