The combination of nanogel properties and thermo-responsiveness generates a promising candidate for the development of smart nanocarrier systems, which can be influenced by temperature with high responsiveness, reveal high loading capacity, can improve drug stability, and thus can be used for stimuli-controlled release in drug delivery. Our hypothesis treats the preparation of a new thermo-responsive glycerol based nanogel system and the investigation of their phase behavior with respect to potential biomedical applications. Initial focus was given to fabricate nanogels with size control over the range of 50 - 400 nm and narrow size distributions.

Selected Publications

• Overcoming drug resistance with on-demand charged thermoresponsive dendritic nanogels by enhanced doxorubicin uptake. M. Molina, S. Wedepohl, E. Miceli, M. Calderón*. Nanomedicine (2017), 12, 117-129.
• Dendritic polyglycerol and N-isopropylacrylamide based thermoresponsive nanogels as smart carriers for controlled delivery of drugs through the hair follicle. F.F. Sahle, M. Giulbudagian, J. Bergueiro, J. Lademann*, M. Calderón*. Nanoscale (2017), 9, 172-182.
• Transferrin Decorated Thermoresponsive Nanogels as MagneticTrap Devices for Circulating Tumor Cells. M- Asadian-Birjand, C. Biglione, J. Bergueiro, A. Cappelletti, C. Rahane, G. Chate, J. Khandare, B. Klemke, M.C. Strumia, M. Calderon*. Macromolecular Rapid Communications (2016), 37, 439-445.
• Polymeric near-infrared absorbing dendritic nanogels for efficient in vivo photothermal cancer therapy. M. Molina, S. Wedepohl, M. Calderón*. Nanoscale (2016), 8, 5852–5856.
• Thermosensitive Dendritic Polyglycerol-Based Nanogels for Cutaneous Delivery of Biomacromolecules. M. Witting^§, M. Molina^§, K. Obst, H.C. Hennies, M. Calderón, W. Frieß, S. Küchler. Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology, and Medicine (2015), 11, 1179-1187
• One-pot synthesis of doxorubicin-loaded multiresponsive nanogels based on hyperbranched polyglycerol. A. Sousa-Herves, S. Wedepohl, M. Calderón*. Chemical Communications (2015), 51, 5264-5267.
• Fabrication of Thermoresponsive Nanogels by Thermo-Nanoprecipitation and in situ Encapsulation of Bioactives. M. Giulbudagian,^§ M. Asadian-Birjand,^§ D. Steinhilber, K. Achazi, M. A. Molina, and M. Calderón. Polymer Chemistry (2014), 5, 6909-6913.
  
• Thermoresponsive Nanodevices in Biomedical Applications. J. Bergueiro, M. Calderón. Macromolecular Bioscience (2014), DOI: 10.1002/mabi.201400362.
• Positively Charged Thermoresponsive Nanogels for Anticancer Drug Delivery. M. A. Molina, M. Giulbudagian, and M. Calderón. Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics (2014), DOI: 10.1002/macp.201400286.
• Functional nanogels for biomedical applications. M. Asadian, J. Cuggino, D. Steinhilber, A. Souza, M. Calderón, Current Medicinal Chemistry (2012), 19, 5029-5043.
• Thermosensitive nanogels based in dendritic polyglycerol and N-isopropylacrylamide for biomedical applications. J. Cuggino, C.I. Alvarez I., M. Strumia, P. Welker, K. Licha, D. Steinhilber, R.-C- Mutihac and M. Calderón, Soft Matter 7 (2011), 11259-11266.