The delivery of 150 kDa antibodies to the brain
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Exeter
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Julian Moger (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Watts AJ
(2016)
Effect of Microplastic on the Gills of the Shore Crab Carcinus maenas.
in Environmental science & technology
Watts AJ
(2014)
Uptake and retention of microplastics by the shore crab Carcinus maenas.
in Environmental science & technology
Galloway T
(2017)
Ecotoxicological assessment of nanoparticle-containing acrylic copolymer dispersions in fairy shrimp and zebrafish embryos
in Environmental Science: Nano
Simão Carlos MI
(2017)
Limiting the level of tertiary amines on polyamines leads to biocompatible nucleic acid vectors.
in International journal of pharmaceutics
Garrett NL
(2017)
Imaging microscopic distribution of antifungal agents in dandruff treatments with stimulated Raman scattering microscopy.
in Journal of biomedical optics
Chiu WS
(2015)
Drug delivery into microneedle-porated nails from nanoparticle reservoirs.
in Journal of controlled release : official journal of the Controlled Release Society
Lalatsa A
(2015)
Chitosan amphiphile coating of peptide nanofibres reduces liver uptake and delivers the peptide to the brain on intravenous administration.
in Journal of controlled release : official journal of the Controlled Release Society
Belsey NA
(2014)
Evaluation of drug delivery to intact and porated skin by coherent Raman scattering and fluorescence microscopies.
in Journal of controlled release : official journal of the Controlled Release Society
Serrano DR
(2015)
Oral particle uptake and organ targeting drives the activity of amphotericin B nanoparticles.
in Molecular pharmaceutics
| Description | We have further developed non-linear optical imaging technologies based on coherent Raman scattering to image the fate of polymeric nanomedicines in ex-vivo animal tissues to provide new sights into the mechanisms of enhanced drug uptake. |
| Exploitation Route | Project is running in partnership with Nanomerics Ltd (UCL spin-out company) and Lundbeck, who plan to exploit and commercialise and IP resulting from this project. Syngenta are exploring agrochemical applications of the imaging technology that was developed during this project. We have been awarded an EPRSC iCASE project to explore this unexpected direction. We have been awarded an EPSRC strategic equipment award to establish the first UK user facility for coherent Raman scattering microscopy so that other researcher may access the imaging techniques developed on this award |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Healthcare,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| Description | Nanoparticle drug delivery was known to greatly improve the efficacy of pharmaceuticals however; the mechanisms by which nanoparticles improved drug performance was unclear. Research in the Moger Group developed and applied techniques based on coherent Raman scattering (CRS) to image polymeric nanoparticles in animals dosed with nanomedicines based on their intrinsic vibrational signature. The ability to track nanomedicines at the cellular level without using fluorescent labels represented a major advance in drug developmental capability and allowed, for the first time, clarification of the delivery mechanisms which aided the rational engineering of particles for the appropriate clinical condition. Being able to demonstrate the ability to selectively target nanoparticles to specific disease site became the foundation of a novel strategy for nanotheragnostic therapy that is currently being explored through an EPSRC programme grant. The label-free nonlinear optical imaging techniques developed during this project to visualise the cellular location of polymer nanodrugs, later emerged as a powerful tool for visualising the fate microplastics in marine organisms. Images acquired using the novel microscopy techniques developed during this grant provided unequivocal evidence of the ingestion and accumulation of microplastics in marine organisms. The visual impact of these images played a key role in influencing government policy changes to ban the use of microplastics in cosmetics and personal care products in the UK, Europe, US, Canada, UN and the G7 group. In the UK alone this has led to an annual reduction of some 4000 tonnes of plastic entering marine systems, improving the health of marine organisms and their environments. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
| Sector | Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| Impact Types | Societal,Economic |
| Description | Banning mircoplastics: Label-free imaging provides key evidence of accumulation of microplastics in marine organisms |
| Geographic Reach | Europe |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | Plastics are being disposed of at an unprecedented rate. However, much of the plastic we create is hidden: for example, in 2013, a typical exfoliating shower gel was found to contain roughly as much microplastic in the cosmetic formulation as was used to make the plastic packaging it comes in. However, these hidden plastics do not degrade, and when used in cosmetics, easily find their way into marine environments when washed. It has been estimated that microplastics present in our oceans are costing approximately $13 billion per year in environmental damage, and bringing uncounted damage to our marine ecosystems. However, it is very difficult to accurately determine the total amount and true effect of microplastic particles in the environment, as they can be hard to detect. Work by a cross-disciplinary team at Exeter made a significant contribution to our understanding of the impact of microplastics on the world's oceans and their potential to cause wide-spread ecological damage. The research has provided instrumental evidence for policy changes; resulting in a legal UK ban of microbeads in cosmetics and personal care products; and changes to European, North American and UN global policies. It has supported the campaigns of numerous non-profit organizations and stimulated huge public interest internationally. Throughout this campaign, the label-free microscopy techniques developed by Moger provided vital evidence of the ingestion and accumulation of microplastics in marine organisms, and the visual impact of the images played a key role in influencing policy change. In February 2013, the team's research findings supported a successful effort on behalf of NERC, various academic institutions and non-profit organisations to include microplastics in a UK House of Commons Science and Technology Committee inquiry into water quality. Parliamentarians were informed about the negative effects of microplastics, with the team's research cited in the Government Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) notes on Trends in the Environment in 2015 and Marine Microplastic Pollution in 2016, both citing papers with images taken by the Moger Group. In June 2016, the research was presented, including images from the Moger group, to an Environmental Audit Committee hearing on Microbeads in the Marine Environment at the Houses of Parliament. The submission influenced a change in legislation to outlaw microscopic plastics from being added to consumer products, which was announced following the enquiry in August 2016 and came into force in January 2018. Verifying the presence of microplastics in marine organisms had a substantial impact on environmental policy and practice. The Chair of the Audit Committee specifically noted the contribution of the label-free images towards the case for the environmental impact of microplastics, commenting that "the provocative nature of these striking images made a particular impact as evidence of uptake into the food chain". The Exeter team's research has also had significant influence beyond the UK. In Canada, a report published by the Canadian Environment Agency 'Microbeads - a Science Summary' references papers by the team and recommends that, based on the available information, "microbeads be considered toxic under subsection 64(a) of the Environmental Protection Act 1999". In the US, the Microbead-Free Waters Act (2015) is informed by NOAA reports produced as part of their Marine Debris Program which referenced papers with images taken by the Moger Group. In 2019 and 2020 the European Chemicals Agency Committee for Socio-economic Analysis (SEAC) released reports, citing papers with images from the Moger Group], proposing restrictions on intentionally-added microplastics as an appropriate EU-wide measure to address the identified risks. Political action on microbeads has now expanded worldwide, with the United Nations supporting resolutions to drastically reduce plastic pollution. Moger's work again played a key role: In June 2016 results were presented, including images produced by Moger, to the United Nations Consultation on the Laws of the Oceans, held in New York. Evidence was then presented to the UN General Assembly on 13 September 2016 which contained four references to oral evidence provided by the Exeter team. Finally, in December 2017, more than 200 nations represented at the United Nations Environment Assembly resolved to eliminate marine plastic pollution. Parallel to this, the G7 pledged to reduce uncontrolled disposal of waste plastics as one of its strategic development goals, which aims to reduce marine debris and microplastics by encouraging improvements to legislation, waste management and social education. The UN resolution referenced the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report 'Marine plastic debris and microplastics - Global lessons and research to inspire action and guide policy change', which itself directly referenced publications from the Moger group. As a result of Moger's pioneering work, nonlinear optical microscopy is now viewed as a benchmark for analysing the effects of plastic pollutants in biological systems. In the UN Environment Programme GESAMP (Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Policy) advice documents, Moger's research approach was specifically cited as a precedent for how to accurately measure marine microplastics. To conclude, the Moger group has developed and used novel microscopy approaches which are capable, for the first time, of quantifying the take-up of plastic pollutants in real biological systems. The striking visual impact of the images acquired played a key role in generating pivotal policy changes to ban the use of microplastics in cosmetics and personal care products in the UK, Europe, and across the world. At the time of submission to REF 2021, the governments of 15 major developed countries have banned (or committed to banning) the use microplastics in cosmetics, and many of the world's largest cosmetics brands have pledged to remove microplastics from their products, including Unilever, L'Oréal, Colgate-Palmolive, Beiersdorf, Procter & Gamble, and Johnson & Johnson. The UK ban alone has already resulted in an estimated reduction of 4,000 tonnes per year of microplastics entering our oceans, improving the health of marine organisms and their environments. |
| Description | EPSRC Programme Grant |
| Amount | £5,752,646 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/R020965/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2018 |
| End | 01/2023 |
| Description | EPSRC iCASE |
| Amount | £75,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Leeds |
| Department | Faculty of Engineering |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2015 |
| End | 10/2019 |
| Description | Exploring Industry R&D Applications of Frequency Modulated SRS Imaging |
| Organisation | Unilever |
| Department | Unilever UK R&D Centre Port Sunlight |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Feasibility study to explore the application of frequency modulated SRS for visualising the uptake of low molecular weight compounds in to human hair |
| Collaborator Contribution | Financial support of postDoctoral salary for 6 months |
| Impact | academic publication in preparation |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Next Generation Optical Analysis for Agrochemical Research & Development |
| Organisation | Syngenta International AG |
| Department | Syngenta Ltd (Bracknell) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Translation of SRS techniques developed at Exeter into an analytical tool for agrochemical R&D |
| Collaborator Contribution | Access to state of the art standard analytical tools that are not available at Exeter |
| Impact | none yet. |
| Start Year | 2015 |