Light-inducible delivery using GET peptide technology

Optogenetic systems enable precise spatial and temporal control of cell behaviour. The simplicity of these new systems has enabled its rapid development as a tool for many diverse applications in biology such as transcriptional control of genes and gene-editing technologies. It is also considered an exciting technology to enable site-specific drug delivery.

We have created a method of efficiently delivering drugs into cells by targeting a ubiquitous sugar type (Heparan sulphate expressed on cell membranes with a cell penetrating peptide (CPP) (PNAS, 2016). We term our delivery system as glycosaminoglycan-binding enhanced transduction (GET) which is being patented by the University of Nottingham (PCT/GB2014/053764).

http://www.ukrmp.org.uk/hubs/acellular/our-research-team/university-of-nottingham-dr-james-dixon/

This project will exploit GET peptides and new derivatives with the aim to promote the intracellular transduction of cargoes optogenetically. We have exciting preliminary data showing modification of GET with photo-active protein domains can induce the transduction of therapeutic molecules into target cells. My group is currently working on many aspects of the core GET technology all with the aim to translate our work towards regenerative medicine applications. Training will be given in all aspects of the project including recombinant protein production, cell culture, immunostaining, microscopy (fluorescence, confocal, SEM), biochemical assays.