@article{Pilkington:2023:10.1038/s41598-023-39205-3,
author = {Pilkington, C and Contini, C and Barritt, J and Simpson, P and Seddon, J and Elani, Y},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-023-39205-3},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
pages = {1--14},
title = {A microfluidic platform for the controlled synthesis of architecturally complex liquid crystalline nanoparticles},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-39205-3},
volume = {13},
year = {2023}
}

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TY  - JOUR
AB  - Soft-matter nanoparticles are of great interest for their applications in biotechnology, therapeutic delivery, and in vivo imaging. Underpinningthis is their biocompatibility, potential for selective targeting, attractive pharmacokinetic properties, and amenability to downstreamfunctionalisation. Morphological diversity inherent to soft-matter particles can give rise to enhanced functionality. However, this diversityremains untapped in clinical and industrial settings, and only the simplest of particle architectures (spherical lipid vesicles and lipid/polymernanoparticles (LNPs)) have been exploited. To address this, we have designed a scalable microfluidic hydrodynamic focusing (MHF)technology for the controllable, rapid, and continuous production of lyotropic liquid crystalline (LLC) nanoparticles (both cubosomes andhexosomes), colloidal dispersions of higher-order lipid assemblies with intricate internal structures of 3-D and 2-D symmetry. These particleshave been proposed as the next generation of soft-matter nano-carriers, with unique fusogenic and physical properties. Crucially, unlikealternative approaches, our microfluidic method gives control over LLC size, a feature we go on to exploit in a fusogenic study with modelcell membranes, where a dependency on particle diameter is evident. We believe our platform has the potential to serve as a tool for futurestudies involving non-lamellar soft nanoparticles, and anticipate it allowing for the rapid prototyping of LLC particles of diverse functionality,paving the way toward their eventual uptake at an industrial level.
AU  - Pilkington,C
AU  - Contini,C
AU  - Barritt,J
AU  - Simpson,P
AU  - Seddon,J
AU  - Elani,Y
DO  - 10.1038/s41598-023-39205-3
EP  - 14
PY  - 2023///
SN  - 2045-2322
SP  - 1
TI  - A microfluidic platform for the controlled synthesis of architecturally complex liquid crystalline nanoparticles
T2  - Scientific Reports
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-39205-3
UR  - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-39205-3
UR  - http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/105689
VL  - 13
ER  - 

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