During her PhD studies, Laura Teodori was inspired by natural multivalent systems to study how the multivalent display of ligands on a scaffold can enhance the binding affinity and specificity of interactions between biomolecules and their targets. Nucleic acids can be used to create nanosaffolds of any shape and size allowing for programmed presentation of multiple ligands with a precise spatial arrangement and valence. The resulting nanostructures can be used to perform targeted imaging of diseased tissues and delivery of drugs.

The new research findings contribute to the investigation of the impact of multivalency on complex biological processes and to harness these mechanisms in the development of nanomedical particles for diagnostics and treatment.  

The PhD study was completed at the Interdisciplinary Nanoscience centre (iNANO), Faculty of Natural Sciences, Aarhus University.

This summary was prepared by the PhD student.

Time: Friday, 23 June 2023 at 13:15.
Place: Building 1514, room 213, Lecture Theatre Aud-I, Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University, Langelandsgade 140, 8000 Aarhus C
Title of PhD thesis: Multivalent nucleic acid-based nanostructures: from nanoscale design to pre-clinical applications

Contact information: Laura Teodori, e-mail: laura.teodori@inano.au.dk, tel.: +45 60906496

Members of the assessment committee:
Professor Tim Liedl, Department of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany

Professor Hanne Mørck Nielsen, Department of Pharmacy, Copenhagen University, Denmark

Associate Professor Ken Howard, Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Denmark (chair)

Main supervisor:
Professor Jørgen Kjems, iNANO, Aarhus University, Denmark

Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English

The defence is public.
The PhD thesis is available for reading at the Graduate School of Natural Sciences/GSNS,

Jens Baggesens Vej 53, building 5221, 8200 Aarhus N.