Yolanda Vasquez
Oklahoma State University, OK·Chemistry
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an incurable disease that affects about 1% of people worldwide. In RA, the immune system inflames the joints and destroys cartilage and bone.
- Fields
Chemistry
Biomedical Engineering
Pharmacology
- Topics
rheumatoid arthritis
methotrexate
gold nanoparticles
- Grants
- 1 known grant, through Jul 2028
What they work on
- Develop conjugation chemistry that attaches methotrexate to gold nanoparticles through linkers that break in response to reactive oxygen species or acidic joint fluid, creating a slow-release carrier for joint injection.
- Characterize how the gold nanocarriers release methotrexate under acidic and reactive oxygen species conditions, and measure their toxicity to cells.
- Test whether the nanocarriers reduce reactive oxygen species and the inflammatory signals TNF, IL-6 and IL-1 released by stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages, a model cell line for inflammation.
More about the research
Methotrexate (MTX), a standard drug for slowing the disease, is given in a high weekly dose because the kidneys clear it quickly and it has toxic side effects. Even so, some joints do not respond to the drug given throughout the body. This project proposes injecting a slow-release drug carrier directly into those stubborn joints.
Why it matters
Some rheumatoid arthritis patients have joints that do not respond to methotrexate given by mouth or injection. Gold nanocarriers injected into those joints could release the drug steadily in response to inflammation. This may offer continuous local treatment that reduces disability and improves quality of life. The study could eventually change how methotrexate is given to patients.
Known grants
From NIH and NSF research grants. Labs often have other funding we can't see.
Closest labs
Katelyn Swindle-Reilly
Ohio State University, OH·Biomedical Engineering
Synthesize and characterize an investigational anti-inflammatory drug and load it into ROS-responsive polydopamine nanoparticles that release more drug under oxidative stress.
Choon Lee
Central Michigan University, MI·Chemistry
Synthesize metal-trapping dendrons, wedge-shaped branched molecules, decorated with vitamin B6 (pyridoxal, pyridoxal-5'-phosphate) or syringaldehyde building blocks, and link them into water-soluble dendrimers using alkyne-azide click chemistry.
Roberto Andresen Eguiluz
University of California-Merced, CA·Biomedical Engineering·Early-career
Build model articular cartilage surfaces with controlled molecular makeup and fibronectin conformations, so that the effect of each surface component on lubrication can be tested on its own.
The school
Oklahoma State University: 15 labs on PI Pages, $254M a year on research, 238 research doctorates a year.
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