Biomaterials Made of Proteins

Micro- and nano-scale systems have emerged as important tools for developing clinically useful drug delivery systems. Much of our work has been focused on exploitation of biomacromolecules for this purpose, focusing on proteins, polypeptides, nucleic acids and polysaccharides and mixtures there of as potential building blocks for novel drug delivery systems. We focus on the mechanisms of formation of micro- and nano-scale protein-based capsules and shells, as well as on the functionalization of such structures for use in targeted delivery of bioactive materials.