During his PhD studies, Simon Christian Vinther investigated the use of carbohydrate-guided therapeutics to target specific cells or organs, in the interest of improving drug delivery of nucleic acid-based drugs.
Nucleic acids are remarkable for creating unique structures that can be chemically modified with e.g. carbohydrates at precise placements. By utilizing these properties, Simon Christian Vinther created carbohydrate-modified nucleic acid-based therapeutics, designed with different sugar patterns. The carbohydrate-modified therapeutics can bind specific subsets of sugar-recognizing receptors called C-type lectins, enabling the nucleic acid-based drugs to be taken up by the targeted cells. 
Simon Christian Vinther applied these carbohydrate-modified nucleic acid therapeutics to study the drug delivery to hepatocytes or immune cells. His research findings contribute to advancing drug delivery of future nucleic acid-based therapeutics.

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

This summary was prepared by the PhD student.

Time: Wednesday, 15 May 2024 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: Navigating Drug Delivery with Multivalent Carbohydrate-Conjugated Nucleic Acid-Based Scaffolds
Contact information: Simon Christian Vinther, e-mail: simoncv@inano.au.dk, tel.: +45 31342701

Members of the assessment committee:
Professor Christoph Rademacher, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Austria

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

Professor Mingdong Dong, Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University (chair)

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

Co-supervisor:
Assistant Professor Julián Valero, iNANO, Aarhus University, Denmark

Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English

The defense 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.