Fusion Peptide-modified Nanoparticles as Therapeutic Delivery Vehicles

This thesis explores the use of lipid nanoparticles called bicontinuous cubic phases for biomedical applications, including drug delivery systems and biosensors. These lipidic cubic phases have shown great potential in encapsulating therapeutic proteins and peptides, but it is still not understood how they influence the structure and function of these therapeutic molecules. Overall, the thesis creates a library of fusion peptide - lipid nanoparticle combinations suitable for encapsulating various therapeutics. It sheds light on how the lipid composition and curvature of nanoparticles affect fusion peptide behaviour, which is critical for developing better drug delivery systems. The work also proposes viral inactivators targeting key proteins and lipid regulation to combat non-enveloped viruses. The findings have significant implications for enhancing peptide-lipid nanomaterial treatment solutions in vitro and understanding nanoparticle-cell membrane interactions.