Funded by a grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health, University of Chicago IME Director and Professor, Matthew Tirrell and colleagues designed a self-assembling multifunctional nonoparticle. 

This creation is known as a micelle and is a lipid-based collection of molecules that form a sphere. The micelle has a peptide, a piece of protein, on its surface, and that peptide binds to the surface of the plaque. This versatile, flexible nano particle can deliver diagnostic and therapeutic biofunctionality in vivo, and its size, long life span, and targeted peptides make it a good candidate to treat various pathological tissues. Ellen Sandor and (art)n worked with Tirrell and his colleagues, along with Allen on a three-sided PHSCologram sculpture with images depicting this incredible nanoparticle. 

The future of precise and targeted biological therapy is on the horizon and (art)n is proud to be visualizing such innovation.