High Yield Production and Biofunctionalization of Plasma Polymerized Nanoparticles for Applications in Biomedicine

Abstract

The advent of nanoparticle technology in the medical and pharmaceutical sectors offers significant potential in the quest for more effective healthcare solutions. Surface biofunctionalization, the engineering of nanoparticle surfaces for targeted biomedical applications, is critical for the development of personalized medicine in the delivery of diagnostic and therapeutic agents. However, the transition from laboratory research to commercial scale production faces substantial challenges in ensuring scalability of synthesis methods, consistent nanoparticle quality and addressing safety concerns related to toxicity. The commercial viability of nanoparticle-based medical products requires the precedence of translation into clinical settings warranting their integration into cellular environments while maintaining bioactivity. Traditional methods for nanoparticle synthesis and functionalization often fall short from achieving this aim due to inconsistencies in particle sizes, high production costs, reagent toxicity and subsequent complex wet-chemical processing.

This thesis introduces plasma polymerization as a high-throughput method for producing surface- active polymeric nanoparticles, through a more environmentally friendly, dry synthesis process. Chapter 1 introduces polymer nanoparticles in nanomedicine, focusing on surface functionalization for improved diagnostics and therapeutics, and overcoming biological barriers for targeted delivery. Chapter 2 outlines methodologies. Chapter 3 discusses enhanced collection yield while maintaining properties for surface treatment, demonstrated through biofunctionalization of plasma polymerized nanoparticles (PPNs) with non-cytotoxic covalent bonds. Chapter 4 confirms this via in vitro studies. Chapter 5 studies long-term stability, showing bioactivity after a year. The final chapter details PPN synthesis, validating a continuum fluid model to enhance predictive accuracy.