In gene and siRNA based therapy, therapeutic benefits rely on the efficient transfer of foreign nucleic acids into cells. We investigate synthetic complexes capable of readily carrying nucleic acid across the cell membrane. The self-assembly, size and structure of lipid- and polycation-DNA complexes, known respectively as lipoplexes and polyplexes, are studied. We also endeavor to quantify and model transfection at the single cell level using GFP reporter and single cell time-lapse microscopy.
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