Title: Tuning the Biocontinuous Cubic Mesophases of Monoolein using Chelated Lipids for Drug Delivery

A wealth of information has been gleaned during the last few decades on self–assembled Lyotropic Liquid Crystals, or LLCs, formed when amphiphilic molecules encounter water. Incorporating chelated lipids into these LLCs represents a promising approach for designing molecular assemblies with potential applications in drug/protein delivery. Monoolein is an FDA approved amphiphile, and it shows various LLC phases like cubic, lamellar, and hexagonal at different temperatures and concentrations in the presence of water. Works of others showed that using different cosurfactant combinations with Monoolein, the water channel diameter of the cubic mesophases as well as phase transitions can be tuned. Building upon this, this study explores the integration of chelating lipids like DGS NTA having different metals like Co/Ni/Cu/Zn, into a lipid mixture of glyceryl monooleate (MO) and other cosurfactants. Specifically, we are investigating on how the incorporation of chelated lipids influences lipid phase behavior, hydration properties, and relaxometric properties, thus evaluating their potential as drug delivery agents. The resultant lipidic mesophases will be characterized through a range of techniques, including Nuclear Magnetic Resonance methods—1H NMR and NMR relaxometry—along with Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), zeta potential measurements, and Cryogenic Transmission Electron Microscopy (cryo-TEM).