| Project Id
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BITS025F001397
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| Project Detail
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| Project Title
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Protein-based nanoparticles for oral drug delivery
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| Senior Supervision Team (BITS)
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| Supervisor name and Title
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Dr. Ankit Jain
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School or Department (or company, if applicable)
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BITS PILANI, PILANI CAMPUS
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|
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Email ID
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ankit.j@pilani.bits-pilani.ac.in
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| URL for more info
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https://www.bits-pilani.ac.in/pilani/ankit-jain/
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| a) Are you currently supervising a BITS or RMIT HDR student?
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YES
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| Please comment how many you are supervising
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3
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| b) Have you supervised an offshore candidate before?
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NO
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| If no, what support structures do you have in place?
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|
| If yes, please elaborate
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| Senior Supervision Team (RMIT)
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| Supervisor name and Title
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Dr. Hank Hank
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School or Department (or company, if applicable)
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STEM
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|
|
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Email ID
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qi.han@rmit.edu.au
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| URL for more info
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https://www.rmit.edu.au/profiles/h/qi-han
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| a) Are you currently supervising a BITS or RMIT HDR student?
|
YES
|
| Please comment how many you are supervising
|
3
|
| b) Have you supervised an offshore candidate before?
|
NO
|
| If no, what support structures do you have in place?
|
|
| If yes, please elaborate
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N
|
| Other Supervisors (BITS)
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| Supervisor name and Title
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Dr. Gautam Singhvi
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School or Department (or company, if applicable)
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BITS PILANI, PILANI CAMPUS
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| Phone Number (Optional)
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9314490535
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Email ID
|
gautam.singhvi@pilani.bits-pilani.ac.in
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| URL for more info
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https://www.bits-pilani.ac.in/pilani/gautam-singhvi
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| Other Supervisors (BITS)
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| Supervisor name and Title
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Prof. Tamar Greaves
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School or Department (or company, if applicable)
|
STEM
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| Phone Number (Optional)
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+613 9925 4265
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Email ID
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tamar.greaves@rmit.edu.au
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| URL for more info
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https://www.rmit.edu.au/profiles/g/tamar-greaves
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| Field of Research (For Codes)
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| 321404 | Pharmaceutical delivery technologies | 25.00 |
| 340603 | Colloid and surface chemistry | 50.00 |
| 340699 | Physical chemistry not elsewhere classified | 25.00 |
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| Project Description
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|
This PhD project aims to advance innovative strategies for fabricating biocompatible protein nanoparticles using novel ionic liquids and salts. The primary focus is on dissolving and desolvating food-based proteins, such as ovalbumin, serum albumin, and lactalbumin, to produce nanoparticles or nanogels suitable for oral delivery of bioactive compounds. This research seeks to revolutionize oral therapeutic delivery systems by addressing challenges in permeability and stability.
The project will develop ionic liquid solvents, or their mixtures with ethanol, as biocompatible solvents, and understand their influence particle formation in aqueous protein solutions, where they can induce spherical or fibroin nanoparticles. To optimize nanoparticle production, various ionic liquids will be employed to fine-tune the desolvation process. This project will study the desolvation factors, e.g., crosslinking agents, salt types, and the concentration of proteins, and correlate them with particle size and morphology. The advanced methodology will integrate small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) at the Australian Synchrotron to characterize particle structures, providing insights into their size, shape, and assembly mechanisms. Ultimately, this project aims to develop tailored formulations with enhanced bioavailability and targeted delivery capabilities, laying the groundwork for transformative applications in oral therapeutics and beyond. The findings will have broad implications for nanoparticle engineering and developing innovative drug delivery platforms.
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| Project Deliverable/Outcomes
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This PhD project is expected to deliver groundbreaking insights into using ionic liquids and salts for fabricating biocompatible protein nanoparticles with direct applications in oral drug delivery systems. The project will establish novel biocompatible solvent systems and their role in inducing spherical nanoparticles in aqueous protein solutions. It will optimize the desolvation process by identifying key factors such as crosslinking agents, salt types, and protein concentrations that influence particle size and morphology. At RMIT, the student will use advanced Synchrotron SAXS and physical chemistry techniques to understand the structural properties of these nanoparticles. The findings will contribute to the design of nanoparticles with improved bioavailability and permeability for oral delivery of bioactive compounds, paving the way for transformative therapeutic applications. This work will also advance nanoparticle engineering and expand the potential of ionic liquid-based technologies in biomedicine. Promising outcomes will lead to patent applications, commercially viable processes, high-quality publications, and grants from national and international funding agencies.
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| Research Impact Themes
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| Life sciences | Biotechnology for Sustainable Food Systems |
| ADVANCED MATERIALS, MANUFACTURING AND FABRICATION | NOVEL MATERIALS |
| Life sciences | Pharmacology and toxicology |
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| Which RMIT Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) does your project align to
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GOOD HEALTH AND WELLBEING
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| Which RMIT Enabling Impact Platform (EIP) does your project align to
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ADVANCED MATERIALS, MANUFACTURING AND FABRICATION
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| Which RMIT Program code will this project sit under?
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DR230 (PHYSICS)
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| Student Capabilities and Qualifications
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• Hold a Master by Research, a Master by Coursework with a high distinction research component, or a first-class Honours degree in Engineering, Science, or a related field. • Have an excellent academic background in fields including chemistry, physics, chemical engineering, polymer science, or biomedical engineering.
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• Relevant research experience and publications are highly desirable. • Be an Australian permanent resident, or an international student meeting English language requirements.
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• Demonstrate ability of strong oral and written communication skills and to work in a multi-d disciplinary research team. • Meet RMIT’s entry requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy.
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| Preferred discipline of Student
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| Chemistry |
| Chemistry, Electrochemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, Coputational Chemistry, Colloids, Surface Chemistry, Catalysis |
| Pharmaceautical Sciences, Pharmacology |
| Pharmaceutical Sciences |
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