B07

One key aim in the second funding period of the CRC 1278 is the development of a predictive structure-function and structure-activity correlation model, that enables the targeted delivery of nanoparticles (NP) and their cargo with optimized efficacy and minimized dosages and, therefore, low cytotoxicity. To this end, the process of NP and NP-cargo delivery and thus leverage points for its optimization can be broken down into three distinct stages: The first step is the plasma membrane mediated NP uptake, which is already substance of intense study in numerous CRC 1278 projects. The second and third stages however, i.e. the dissociation of NPs and cargo within intracellular (endosomal) compartments and their subsequent cytosolic escape / release remain mysterious. Here, a key question is whether NPs can generally be tailored to be preferentially sorted to specific (endosomal) compartments that promote both the effective disintegration of NPs and the cytosolic release of NP-cargo.