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New vaccines and printer ink
The discovery, which has led to diverse results, is the brainchild of Maren Roman from Virginia Tech in the US.
She
is taking nanocrystal research to a new level that may lead to a new
generation of vaccines and better computer printer ink.The assistant
professor in the wood science and forest products department of the
College of Natural Resources at Virginia Tech will be presenting her
findings at a conference in the US.The focus of her research deals with cellulose drug delivery and ink jet printing.
Roman
experimented with taking cellulose nanocrystals and attaching
antibodies to the surface of the crystals.This design enables the
nanocrystals to block cell receptors in the body, which may eventually
be used to create vaccines.Through the same receptor-blocking method,
this process can combat the effects of some diseases involving
inflammation of blood vessels, including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis
and certain cancers.Ink jet printing
ink jet printing was another research project for Roman.
She
experimented with using ink jet printers to deposit the crystals
because the printers’ main focus is precision.Nanocrystals are tiny and
pose many difficulties to the people using them – a typical remedy
involves converting the nanocrystals to a powder.This has risks as
well, as the powder can be a serious health hazard if inhaled.The ink
jet printing allows for a safe method of deposition of the
nanocrystals.Results will be shared at the American Chemical Society
233rd National Meeting and Exposition in Chicago.
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