Projects

Final projects:

• Optosilence AD: a novel light-activated nanoplatform for precise gene repression

  Section 1: Abstract Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is characterized by the pathological accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques, primarily derived from the Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP). Traditional gene-editing approaches present risks of irreversible genomic alterations and off-target effects. This project proposes a novel, reversible and multimodal nanotherapeutic strategy based on synthetic biology and nanotechnology. The system utilizes polymeric nanoparticles to deliver a light-activated CRISPRi machinery employing a high-efficiency dCas9-ZIM3(KRAB) repressor, alongside the antioxidant flavonoid Luteolin. By using Near-Infrared (NIR) stimulation for spatially controlled release, this approach enables a reversible and non-cleaving method to downregulate APP expression while mitigating neuroinflammation. This theoretical framework offers a precise, controllable alternative to traditional gene editing, aiming to slow AD progression through a synchronized genetic and chemical intervention.
• Group Final Project

  Week 4 Part D: Brainstorm on Bacteriohage Engineering Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) photograph of the intact MS2 phage-like particles (MS2 PLP) present in the supernatant after ultrasonic disruption of E. coli production cells. (Mikel P, Vasickova P, Tesarik R, Malenovska H, Kulich P, Vesely T and Kralik P (2016) Preparation of MS2 Phage-Like Particles and Their Use As Potential Process Control Viruses for Detection and Quantification of Enteric RNA Viruses in Different Matrices. Front. Microbiol. 7:1911. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01911)