Seminar by Dr. Kamonlatth Rodponthukwaji and MSc. Dang Lam Tuan Cuong

On March 15, 2024, the lectures from Dr. Kamonlatth Rodponthukwaji and MSc. Dang Lam Tuan Cuong takes place in the meeting room C.

Dr. Kamonlatth Rodponthukwaji presents a talk entitled "Epigallocatechin Gallate Potentiates the Anticancer Effect of AFP-siRNA-Loaded Polymeric Nanoparticles on Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells".

Abstract:

To develop a potential cancer treatment, we formulated a novel drug delivery platform made of poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) and used a combination of an emerging siRNA technology and an extracted natural substance called catechins. The synthesized materials were characterized to determine their properties, including morphology, hydrodynamic size, charge, particle stability, and drug release profile. The therapeutic effect of AFP-siRNA and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) was revealed to have remarkable cytotoxicity towards HepG2 when in soluble formulation. Notably, the killing effect was enhanced by the co-treatment of AFP-siRNA-loaded PLGA and EGCG. Cell viability significantly dropped to 59.73 ± 6.95% after treatment with 12.50 μg/mL of EGCG and AFP-siRNA-PLGA. Meanwhile, 80% of viable cells were observed after treatment with monotherapy. The reduction in the survival of cells is a clear indication of the complementary action of both active EGCG and AFP-siRNA-loaded PLGA. The corresponding cell death was involved in apoptosis, as evidenced by the increased caspase-3/7 activity. The combined treatment exhibited a 2.5-fold increase in caspase-3/7 activity. Moreover, the nanoparticles were internalized by HepG2 in a time-dependent manner, indicating the appropriate use of PLGA as a carrier. Accordingly, a combined system is an effective therapeutic strategy.

MSc. Dang Lam Tuan Cuong presents a talk entitled "Synthesis of titanium dioxide/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite by ultrasound-assisted mechanical mixing method for fabricating photoanode to upgrade the performance and stability of dye-sensitized solar cell"

Abstract:

Herein, titanium dioxide/reduced graphene oxide (TiO2/rGO – TG) nanocomposite was synthesized via the ultrasound-assisted mechanical mixing method, used for the fabrication of photoanode in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The DSSCs performance was evaluated by current density-voltage (J-V) curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), showing that the sample with 1.0 wt.% rGO under the ultrasonic power of 720 W, was an optimal material for fabricating photoanode in DSSCs, which obtained the power conversion efficiency of 6.37%. Additionally, in the 500-h illumination test under 300-watt metal-halide lamp and the 100-h drying at 85 °C, DSSCs with the presence of rGO proved better stability in comparison with DSSCs fabricated from commercial TiO2. The characterization of TG was analyzed by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, indicating that TiO2 nanoparticles are uniformly distributed onto the rGO sheets with the average diameter from 20 to 70 nm.