Dr. Alexandr Samokhvalov, Morgan State University

Title: “Toward New Drug-eluting Nanomaterials: Understanding Chemistry of Encapsulation and Controlled Release of Anti-cancer Drugs from Aluminum Metal Organic Frameworks (Al-MOFs)”

Abstract:

Aluminum based metal-organic frameworks (Al-MOFs) feature high nanoporosity, structural versatility, exceptional stability to heating, air, water, electrolytes and organic solvents, an interesting framework flexibility or “breathing” under external stimulus, and low toxicity. These properties translate to high sorption capacity and selectivity of Al-MOFs making them suitable for various applications based on sorption, separations, catalysis, sensing, as well as for biomedicine. Despite significant recent advances in cancer chemotherapy, the mainstream treatment regimes are still based on small molecule drugs many of which are nitrogen-heterocyclic compounds. Antimetabolites and some other classes of anti-cancer drugs are attractive candidates to synthesize new advanced nanocomposite materials e.g. complexes with MOFs for either systemic or controlled local chemotherapy. Complexes of Al-MOFs with small-molecule N-heterocyclic compounds have interesting chemical properties. I will speak about advantages and opportunities of Al-MOFs for controlled encapsulation and release of several classes of anti-cancer drugs including immunotherapy agents. I will also present some of our recent experimental and computational findings.