Data management schema design for effective nanoparticle formulation for neurotherapeutics

Abstract

Translation of nanotherapeutics from preclinical research to clinical application is difficult due to the complex and dynamic interaction space between the nanotherapeutic and the brain environment. To improve translation, increased insight into nanoformulation-brain interactions in preclinical research is necessary. We developed a nanoformulation-brain database and wrote queries to connect the complex physical, chemical, and biological features of neurotherapeutics based on experimental data. We queried the database to select nanoformulations based on specific physical characteristics that enable effective penetration within the brain, including size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential. Additionally, we demonstrate the ability to query the database to return select nanoformulation characteristics, including nanoformulation methodology or methodological variables such as surfactant, polymer, drug loading, and sonication times. Finally, we show the capacity of our database to produce correlations relating nanoparticle formulation parameters to biological outcomes, including nanotherapeutic impact on cell viability in cultured brain slices.

Nanotherapeutics and the Brain

“…Lastly, to coordinate across many nanotherapeutic labs focused on improving neurological outcomes, our field has an opportunity to leverage the rapid increase in open-access databasing. An open-access query-able database could document formulation parameters, physicochemical characteristics, methods for production, and biological testing and neurological outcomes in the indicated disease model (137). In creating such a database, our field would provide current and future nanomedicine researchers with sustainable collective knowledge that collaboratively identifies nanoformulations with the highest likelihood for translation to the clinic and the highest potential to mitigate the devastating impact of neurological disease.…”