Lipoplex - mediated therapeutic gene delivery to liver parenchymal cells : Challenges and prospects

Professor Ariatti is a founder member of the Department of Biochemistry on the Westville campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa and has 35 years of lecturing experience at undergraduate and postgraduate level. During the course of his doctoral studies, which explored the peptidyl transferase step of protein biosynthesis, he developed a keen interest in the chemistry and biochemistry of nucleic acids. In the past 30 years much of his research has centered around the design and development of non-viral systems for the delivery of DNA and siRNA to mammalian cells, with particular focus on liposome-based vectors. Professor Ariatti continues to serve in an emeritus capacity since 2010 and co-supervises numerous postgraduate candidates. He has authored and co-authored over 75 peer reviewed articles, many of which are in the broad area of Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology and serves as ad hoc reviewer for several international journals. In 2010 Professor Ariatti was conferred the title: Cavaliere dell’Ordine Della Stella Della Solidarietá Italiana, by the Honourable President of the Republic of Italy. He is presently engaged in the assessment of novel hepatocyte-directed cationic liposome-based nucleic acid delivery vehicles that address hepatitis B and hepatocellular carcinoma.