Discussion and questions from Munish Chanana Luncheon:

 

Q:  How did you become interested in Nanoparticles?

A: As a student in Germany I was asked to DJ for a professor’s party and someone made a request for the song “We Will Rock You,” by Queen.  I played the song and her and her friend were very thankful that I played their favorite song.  Afterwards she came up to me to thank me for playing the song, which led to a conversation about areas of research.  She was working with gold nanoparticles and offered me a position in her lab.

 

Q:  Your studies have brought you to many different places, which require a level of language competency.  How did you learn to speak so many languages?

A: By reading peanuts comics on the bus rides to work and by watching movies that I had already seen in German or English.

 

Q: You have mentioned the ability to synthesize many different types of nanoparticles, how do you create different sizes and shapes?

A: To manipulate the size of the nanoparticles the concentration of the citrate can be altered, the shape is determined by the amount of reducing metals such as silver which can interact with the gold to conform into other shapes so that growth can only occur where gold and silver aren’t interacting.  In the absence of silver, the particles grow in the shape of spheres.  With silver they can also take the shape of rods, stars, octahedrons, and many more.

 

Q: You mentioned that this method cannot be FDA approved, what is stopping the accreditation?

A:  The polymers that coat the nanoparticles are comprised of ethane backbone with side chains comprised of ester-linked ethane which overtime hydrolyzes in the body and release ethane and water.  The water is not a problem but the ethane can bio concentrate which leads to bad things.

 

Q: Rather than using the polymers, what other molecules can be used to coat the nanoparticles with the same thermo responsive behavior?

A: Protein can be easily manipulated and will have no negative effects in the body.

 

Q: After you leave Lafayette how do you plan to spend the rest of your time in the United States?

A: I am going to Houston to visit my grandmother.