Biolabels Platform

Objective:

To develop high performance biomolecular functionalised nanostructures for point-of-care diagnostics and targeted drug delivery.

Problem:

The essential problem with all diseases is to have sensitive and rapid diagnostic methods to identify diseases in their early stages. If a disease is present, there is the additional challenge of being able to target the diseased cell or pathogen specifically and rapidly, and destroy the cell without toxic side effects, or damage to unaffected cells around the site of the disease.

Nanotechnology solution:

Molecular recognition systems that use metal nanoparticles are highly visible due to their intrinsic scattering properties. In addition, their small size allows them to easily enter and exit living cells, which provides one with the possibility of designing an accurate drug delivery system. By combining these nanostructures with protein-protein recognition systems and cell death inducing biochemicals, a novel diagnostic and therapeutic system can be developed.

Approach:

The approach is to use genomics and proteomics to identify proteins that are primarily found in diseased tissues or as a result of disease states. These biomarkers will be conjugated to appropriate nanostructures to form diagnostic tools, or a means to deliver drugs to specific cells.

Areas of research:

• Identification of proteins specific to diseased cells or invading pathogens. — Proteomics, ultra-high through-put DNA sequencing and bioinformatics.
• Mechanisms of cell death (apoptosis).
• Cancer and diabetes initially, extending to TB, HIV/AIDS, and malaria

The group:

The UWC Biotechnology Department has developed in the last decade into one of the largest departments in this field in South Africa, with expertise in a range of areas from proteomics and structural biology, to genetics and cell biology. It has world-class technology in use, and an academic staff with a wide range of international experience. The postgraduate program of some 90 people from Honours to Postdoctoral Fellows provides the basis for the implementation of ambitious research programmes such as the Biolabels Centre that can deliver on advanced programmes. The Biolabels Centre has staff involved from a range of areas of biotechnology, and with current expertise in areas of cancer and diabetes research, which provide the basis for the extension of the programme into infectious diseases such as TB, HIV/AIDS, and malaria.