Zwitterionic poly(amido-amine) based nanogels

Nanotechnology provides the tools to influence biological processes on the cellular and molecular level, which offers great opportunities for medical applications, such as targeted imaging and drug delivery. Owing to their tremendous variability, polymeric nanoparticles can act as a versatile delivery vehicle for targeted imaging and controlled drug delivery. Hydrogel nanoparticles, or nanogels, are a class of biocompatible nanostructures, which can be used for imaging and delivery of therapeutics. Nanogels can be rendered responsive to a range of biophysical cues for triggered release and environment-responsive imaging. Moreover, zwiterionic nanogels show minimal nonspecifc interactions with proteins and cells, rendering them highly stable in biological environments and very suitable for targeting specifc tissues and cell types. This thesis describes the formation and evaluation of peptidomimetic zwiterionic poly(amido amine) nanogels as a suitable carrier for the targeted delivery of imaging agents and therapeutics.