High-Throughput Cell Penetration Assay for the Discovery of Cell Penetrating Cyclic Peptides

Cell-penetrating cyclic peptides (CPPs) are a promising tool in the delivery of therapeutic drugs to cells1 and can act as therapeutics themselves. These therapeutic agents are aimed at the treatment of diseases such as HIV, cancer, and multidrug-resistant bacterial diseases. Their large surface area and higher conformational rigidity and stability relative to their linear counterparts2 potentiate them to have a higher affinity and specificity for any target of interest. Additionally, CPPs have higher resistance to degradation, unlike their linear counterparts. Thus, for innovative developments in the peptide therapeutics field, it is paramount to have tools for studying and accelerating the discovery of CPPs. In this project, we aim to unravel the underlying rules of cell permeation of cyclic peptides and develop novel high-throughput methods for screening their cell penetration. Additionally, we aim to develop computational methods to predict the permeability of cyclic peptides based on their sequence. Targeting specific organelles can mitigate side effects and toxicity of the drug to cells. Understanding the core features of cell-penetrating peptides will allow for great advancements in therapeutics and the development of less invasive oral bioavailable treatments.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Oregon

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Stokes, Hanna

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Hosseinzadeh, Parisa

• Peptide
• Antimicrobial
• High-throughput
• Cyclic
• Cellular Uptake

Statement dc:rights

• CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1794/31383

OAI record oai:identifier

https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/server/oai/request?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=dim&identifier=oai%3Ascholarsbank.uoregon.edu%3A1794%2F31383