The University of Arizona

Michael Heien

Robin L Polt

Lajos Szabo

Drew Farrell

Dillon Hanrahan

Chenxi Liu

Evan Jones

John M Streicher

Nicholas D Laude

Catherine L Kramer

Bobbi Anglin

Methods for quality control and optimizing the formation and characterization of micelles, vesicles or other aggregates are described herein. Pharmaceutically relevant peptides may be modified to form glycopeptide surfactants which form micelles or other aggregates with another surfactant. Glycopeptide and glycolipid surfactants can aggregate to form particles that enhance drug delivery. The glycopeptide surfactants may be drugs or prodrugs which are delivered via the micelles or other aggregated structures.

Micelles and vesicles for the delivery of glycopeptides

A low-cost, portable potentiostat capable of performing several different electrochemical experiments (e.g. cyclic voltammetry and anodic stripping voltammetry) was designed. The potentiostat runs on one or more batteries and has a battery life of over two weeks. Further, the potentiostat of the present invention is capable of self-calibrating and has a linear dynamic range spanning several orders of magnitude. It is also capable of saving data onto an onboard data storage card and is able to export the data to a computer for additional analysis. The potentiostat requires no peripheral hardware and is suitable for use by those with even minimal training in electrochemistry.

Portable instrument for field ready electrochemical experimentation

Methods for quality control and optimizing the formation and characterization of micelles, vesicles or other aggregates are described herein. Pharmaceutically relevant peptides may be modified to form glycopeptide surfactants which form micelles or other aggregates with another surfactant. Glycopeptide and glycolipid surfactants can aggregate to form particles that enhance drug delivery. The glycopeptide surfactants may be drugs or pro-drugs which are delivered via the micelles or other aggregated structures.

A self-contained hardware platform can be used for the instruction of analog signal processing techniques. An exemplary hardware platform includes a bit depth module, a noise generation module, a signal filter module, and a lock-in amplifier module. In this way, the hardware platform is capable of performing experiments for the instruction of noise source elucidation, Nyquist sampling and resolution, analog filtering, and/or lock-in amplification, among others.

Collection and processing of analytical data

Methods and systems for quantifying blood brain barrier (BBB) permeation of glycosylated peptides. The methods and systems feature microdialysis probes and mechanisms for infusing preservative agents into the outflow tubes of the microdialysis probes. The preservative agents help reduce unwanted degradation of the glycosylated peptides or other compounds, which can lead to a more accurate and complete analysis of the outflow tube perfusate.

Methods and systems for quantification of blood-brain barrier permeation of glycosylated peptides

Glycosylated peptides with glycosylation at or near the C-terminal domain of the peptide have an enhanced ability to cross the blood brain barrier (BBB) and/or enhanced half-lives. These glycosylated peptides may be used as drugs. For example, a PACAP peptide with a C-terminal glycosylation, e.g., in lieu of the terminal leucine, functions as a PACagonist with enhanced ability to cross the BBB and with enhanced half-life. The peptides can have a pseudoproline residue with glycosylation at or near the C-terminal domain.

Growing community of inventors

Tucson, AZ, United States of America

Michael Heien