Surface-Capped Protein Nanoparticles for Nonviral Gene Delivery

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A study from the Lahann Lab published in Advanced Materials (DOI: 10.1002/adma.202521796) presents surface-capped protein nanoparticles as a promising platform for nonviral gene delivery, enabling efficient genetic material transfer with potential applications in correcting disease-causing mutations.

The work demonstrates that these engineered nanoparticles can efficiently encapsulate genetic material, including mRNA, and successfully transfect primary human T cells while maintaining high cell viability. This approach addresses key limitations of traditional viral vectors, offering a safer and more versatile strategy for gene transfer.

Image: Human liver cells engulf protein nanoparticles loaded with circular (plasmid) DNA, which genetically modifies the cells. In the photo, which was taken with confocal laser scanning microscopy, the nanoparticles look like red dots and the cells are green with a blue core, in which the DNA is stored and processed.
Image credit: Yao Yao, Lahann Lab