Publication Date
Spring 2026
Presentation Length
Poster/Gallery presentation
College
College of Sciences & Mathematics
Department
Chemistry and Physics, Department of
Student Level
Undergraduate
Faculty Mentor
Dr.Hua Mei
Metadata/Fulltext
Fulltext
Presentation Type
Poster
Summary
This project aims to develop a folic acid-attached carbon dot nanoparticle system (FA-CDs-GEM) for the targeted delivery of gemcitabine to cancer cells. While gemcitabine is widely used, its effectiveness is limited because a short in vivo half life and lack of selectivity, which lead to severe side effects. Carbon dots offer a simple and modifiable platform as the drug delivery and bioimaging agent. Conjugation of folic acid to the carbon dots enables selective targeting of cancer cells that overexpress folate receptors. In this study, we synthesized and characterized FA-CD-GEM nanoparticles and developed an HPLC calibration curve of GEM to accurately measure gemcitabine concentrations and calculate drug loading content (DLC) and drug loading efficiency (DLE). This work provides a foundation for evaluating FA-CDs-GEM and determining whether folic acid improves targeted delivery compared to CD-GEM.
Recommended Citation
Huda, I., & Mei, H. (2026). Folic acid–carbon dot–gemcitabine nanoparticles for targeted cancer drug delivery. Poster presented at SPARK.
Included in
Cell and Developmental Biology Commons, Chemicals and Drugs Commons, Chemistry Commons, Medical Sciences Commons, Nanotechnology Commons, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Commons
Comments
The poster is still in progress as research is ongoing.