| The work covered in this thesis focuses on research developments in the mesoporous silica nanoparticle platform as a drug delivery vehicle for containment and controlled release of therapeutic agents to inhibit disease. Mesoporous silica is a very versatile material with a very robust structure that is easily modified both internally and externally to change its physical properties. Once modified, the silica nanoparticies can be loaded with therapeutic agents that can be isolated from interacting with their surroundings until an on command delivery signal is received. In this dissertation, first, application of a noninvasive externally controlled means of activation such as light activation and magnetically based heating have been investigated and achieved. Next, by altering the structure of rotaxanes based on azobenzene, steps towards a self-sealing light activated full rotaxane system have been developed. Then, through the manipulation of the particle structure as well as the internal pore environment of silica particle, the interaction between guest drug molecules and the particles has been better understood towards optimizing drug loading and release efficiency. Finally, surface modification of silica nanoparticles with biomolcules has been achieved and observed to increase the efficacy of the silica nanoparticle system in the cellular environment. A combination of all these areas of research results in the advancement of the mesoporous silica nanoparticle drug delivery system towards utilization within living organisms. |
