Small Angle X-ray Scattering studies of functional albumin-based nanoparticles and albumin-gold nanocomplexes as anti-cancer therapeutic agents

Albumin-based Nanoparticles (ABNs) and albumin-stabilized gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) offer a very promising strategy to improve the anticancer therapeutic performance of chemotherapeutics and nucleic acid drugs by enhancing their stability, biodistribution, and tumor selectivity. The characterization of their structural properties in solution is critical to understanding key parameters such as drug release kinetics, biological interactions, and stability under physiological conditions. These critical parameters are not readily accessible with standard characterization techniques such as DLS or TEM. The aim of this proposal is to study the structural properties in solution of different ABNs and AuNCs using small angle X-ray Scattering and their changes with different synthesis protocols, loadings and dispersion media. The results obtained from this proposal will provide unique insight into their structural properties, laying the foundations for a better rational design of albumin-based nanocarriers with improved therapeutic efficiency and translational potential.