Characterization of Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery

Nanoparticle (NP) drug delivery is an important research field in the combination of life science and nanotechnology, which opens up a vast scope for the delivery of a variety of therapeutic agents into a target site of the body. Characterization of nanoparticles intended for drug delivery is an essential investigation, such as the investigation of nanostructure during formulation, biological transport, and stability assessment. The iEM Platform is a unique integrated electron microscopy (EM) platform built by Creative Biostructure . Based on our advanced platform and professional experts, we are capable of offering reliable and professional characterization of nanoparticles in R&D, manufacturing, and quality control to tackle a wide range of pharmaceutical nanoparticle research demands.

Advantage of Nanoparticle Drug Delivery Systems

Nanoparticles have been developed to overcome the limitations of free therapeutics and biological barriers (including cellular, microenvironmental, and systemic) that are heterogeneous across different diseases and patient populations. As these nanoparticles are engineered in increasingly specified ways, lipid, polymeric and inorganic nanoparticles as drug delivery systems can be optimized in a more personalized manner, facilitating the development of precision medicine. Compared to plain drug administration (conventional therapies), nanoparticles as a drug delivery system offer numerous advantages, including,

• Prevent drug degradation and unwanted interaction with biological moieties
• Promote the absorption of needed organs
• Improve pharmacokinetics of drugs
• Easy to change the size and surface charge of nanoparticles
• Controlled release of the encapsulated agents through the nanoparticles
• Can be designed for nasal, oral, ocular, and parenteral delivery.

Nanoparticle Characterization at the iEM Platform

The characterization of nanoparticles is the foundation of their further utilization. The key aspect in the engineering of nanoparticles as drug delivery systems is to determine their particle size, surface properties, and internal structures in order to fulfil the specific objectives. EM is widely used in this field to better understand the properties of nanoparticles. Our iEM Platform consists of a suite of advanced EM technologies, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and corresponding accessories and software. With versatility, we can meet a wide range of nanoparticle drug delivery system research demands.

Available techniques for nanoparticle (NP) characterization at iEM Platform
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)	-Suitable for microscopic analysis of solid materials. -can also be used for metallic, semibiological, and lipid NP. -The resolution of the image can reach 100 K. -Detect nanoparticles as small as 10-20 nm.
Transmission electron microscopy (TEM)	-Accurately analyze the size, shape, and morphology of NPs. -The accumulation of NP in biological systems can be observed. -Able to provide 3-D images of the samples via STEM. -Elemental analysis/mapping of NP samples via STEM.
Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM)	-Provide high-resolution images of biological and biomaterial specimens. -Produce optical images at various depths of the skin layer in a noninvasive manner. -Evaluate the depths of drug permeation/absorption into the biological layer.
Atomic force microscopy (AFM)	-Produce high-resolution 3-D and topographical images of the samples. -Detect bioanalytes in the picomolar range. -Suitable for both conducting and non-conducting materials. -Visualize and analyze the delivery and release of genetic materials in vivo . -Suitable for nano-drug delivery, medical diagnosis, and environmental monitoring.

A good understanding of the physical parameters can help predict how nanoparticles behave in the body and thus improve efficacy. The iEM Platform is an integrated EM platform designed to provide a full range of advanced imaging technologies to companies and biomedical researchers worldwide. To investigate and characterize nanoparticles, such as liposomes , lipid nanoparticles , and polymeric nanoparticles , and inorganic nanoparticles , researchers and scientists can choose Creative Biostructure.

Do you wish to discuss the characterization of nanoparticles? contact us directly!