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Zenya Yanoff

Project Description

Lipid micelles are an important class of nanoparticle with the potential to enhance the solubility and delivery of hydrophobic drugs and imaging agents. Their small size (<50nm) makes them ideal candidates for both passive tumor uptake and deep tissue penetration. Despite this advantage, their delivery is challenged by the fact that these particles are inherently unstable in vivo due to concentration dependence and interactions with serum proteins, which cause destabilization. We have developed a minimalist method to stabilize the formation of micelles using lipid monomers covalently modified with short DNA sequences. My project will focus on the effect of DNA sequence on micelle stability.

Department

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Faculty Advisor

Samantha Wilner

Related News

Jesse Wun, Zenya Yanoff & Dr. Samantha Wilner at EB'22
Ursinus Biology and BCMB Students Attend the Experimental Biology Meeting
Ursinus students and faculty attended the 2022 Experimental Biology meeting this spring in Philadelphia. Many students presented their research and some were funded to attend through generous support from Winnifred Cutler (’79).
Diana and Andrea Cando
Twice in a Generation

Scientist sisters Andrea ’23 and Diana Cando ’24 are first-generation students with a lot in common, and even more in distinction.

Participants in the Dual Pandemic: COVID-19 and Inequity discussion group as part of the 2021 Summer Fellows program.
“Dual Pandemic” Discussion Group Addresses COVID-19 and Inequity
Thirteen Summer Fellows representing a variety of majors participated in a weekly discussion regarding how the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated disparities already present in the U.S. and globally.
Zenya Yanoff
Zenya Yanoff