Characterization of Gold Nanoparticle Antimicrobials

Graduate Thesis Or Dissertation

Citations

Citeable URL: https://scholar.colorado.edu/concern/graduate_thesis_or_dissertations/bc386j634

Abstract

Nanoparticles have been gaining recognition for their potential in drug delivery; however, now a new niche is growing. Nanoparticles are no longer simply carrying a drug, but rather being designed as the therapeutic itself. The Feldheim group has designed gold nanoparticles functionalized with an array of organothiol ligands varying in intermolecular forces, hydrophilicity and functional groups. Optimization of this library of drug nanoparticles produced drug nanoparticles with a bacteriostatic effect against bacteria, such as E. Coli and Klebsiella. There are still many pieces of the puzzle to address. This thesis presents research conducted to 1) Explore which parameter during the synthesis process effects potency of the nanoparticle 2) Develop a new characterization method for determining the composition of the self-assembled monolayer.

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