Structure of biological colloids for improved drug delivery

Chlomicrons, formed by the body to transport large quantities of lipids, are hypothesised to possess internal liquid crystalline structure under certain conditions/compositions. These studies will firstly be used to investigate the structure of colloidal particles formed by swelling amphiphiles as a function of particle stabilisation components, temperature and composition using SAXS with composition likely to mimic that in chlomicrons. These structured particles may ultimately be useful as drug carriers, and the second phase of these studies would determine the capacity of these particles to act as carriers for drug molecules whilst retaining their internal liquid crystallined structure.