Details of the project
Team INJECT is an undergraduate research project under the veteran Gemstone mentor, Dr. Helim Aranda-Espinoza. Given an ambitious goal and three years, can they deliver?
Team Statements and Goals
INJECT stands for Investigating Nanoliposomes Jointly Encapsulating Curcumin for Therapeutics.
Team INJECT aims to treat the dry form of age-related macular degeneration, a disease caused by the damage and death of retinal cells, eventually impairing vision. AMD can affect any person, though the chance that someone may develop it is heavily influenced by risk factors such as exposure to environmental stresses, genetic factors, and, of course, age. We propose the use of curcumin, the active ingredient in the spice turmeric, as a method of preventing the development of AMD, or as a treatment to slow its growth. Curcumin has been shown to treat a plethora of diseases, most of which are caused by oxidative stresses, owing largely to its antioxidative properties. Thus we have strong reason to believe that, if applied properly, curcumin will prove effective against the onset and development of AMD. Curcumin as a compound, however, has poor bioavailability due to its hydrophobic structure and the body’s readiness to metabolize it before reaching the bloodstream. Additionally, the current field of AMD treatments is dominated by intravitreal injections, which are both incredibly invasive and may pose dangerous physical side-effects. We instead propose entrapping curcumin in an appropriate molecule and administering the drug complex as an eyedrop. This approach aims to deliver the drug both safely and specifically to the back of the eye in the fight against AMD.
Team INJECT aims to treat the dry form of age-related macular degeneration, a disease caused by the damage and death of retinal cells, eventually impairing vision. AMD can affect any person, though the chance that someone may develop it is heavily influenced by risk factors such as exposure to environmental stresses, genetic factors, and, of course, age. We propose the use of curcumin, the active ingredient in the spice turmeric, as a method of preventing the development of AMD, or as a treatment to slow its growth. Curcumin has been shown to treat a plethora of diseases, most of which are caused by oxidative stresses, owing largely to its antioxidative properties. Thus we have strong reason to believe that, if applied properly, curcumin will prove effective against the onset and development of AMD. Curcumin as a compound, however, has poor bioavailability due to its hydrophobic structure and the body’s readiness to metabolize it before reaching the bloodstream. Additionally, the current field of AMD treatments is dominated by intravitreal injections, which are both incredibly invasive and may pose dangerous physical side-effects. We instead propose entrapping curcumin in an appropriate molecule and administering the drug complex as an eyedrop. This approach aims to deliver the drug both safely and specifically to the back of the eye in the fight against AMD.
Scope of the Project
Team INJECT discovers the possibility of drug delivery for Age-Related Macular Degeneration. The current direction of research is preventing the oxidation of retinal pigment epithelium cells, which is found to be linked to the disease. Literature and modern treatments have proven this possible through invasive procedures, but the Team INJECT explores non-invasive drug delivery.
Donating
Team INJECT is currently running a crowdfunding campaign through LaunchUMD. Please visit and visually learn about the project through https://www.launch.umd.edu/inject!
The National Eye Institute- Facts and background information concerning Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Science Daily- Information on Nanoparticles
OSU Linus Pauling Institute- Information on curcumin and turmeric
Science Daily- Information on Nanoparticles
OSU Linus Pauling Institute- Information on curcumin and turmeric
More on our topic
Here is some useful information pertinent to the project that Team INJECT is currently working on.
Turmeric, from which curcumin is derived. Source: http://www.dallasnews.com/lifestyles/health-and-fitness/health/20110815-researchers-call-curcumin-solid-gold-for-its-curative-properties.ece