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Updated: Jan 7, 2026
A Package of Established Analytical Tools to Investigate the Solid-State Alteration of Lipid-Based Excipients
Published on: August 9, 2022
Probing Membrane Structure of Lipid Nanomedicines Using Solution Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering: Applications and
Ke-Meng Li1,2, Panqi Song2, Xiao-Peng He1,3
1Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Rd, Shanghai 200237, China.
Synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) offers advanced characterization for lipid nanomedicines, crucial for drug delivery and antitumor therapy. AI-assisted modeling enhances research and quality control of these complex nanoparticles.
Area of Science:
- Nanomedicine
- Biophysics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Lipid-based nanomedicines are vital for antitumor therapy and gene delivery.
- Their complex structures require advanced characterization for effective research and development (R&D) and quality control.
- Synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) is a key technique for probing nanoscale structures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the application of SAXS in characterizing lipid nanomedicines.
- To highlight advances in SAXS methodology and data processing.
- To showcase the potential of AI in advancing R&D and quality control for lipid nanomedicines.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) for nanoscale structural analysis.
- Employing high-flux synchrotron facilities and high-frequency detectors.
- Applying automated data processing pipelines and AI-assisted modeling.
Main Results:
- SAXS enables detailed structural characterization of lipid nanomedicines, including lamellarity, bilayer spacing, and morphology.
- Time-resolved SAXS allows for in situ monitoring of dynamic membrane assembly and component interactions.
- Advances in automation and AI are overcoming challenges in polydispersity and model fitting.
Conclusions:
- SAXS is a powerful tool for the R&D and quality control of lipid nanomedicines.
- AI-guided drug screening at facilities like SSRF's BL19U2 promises to accelerate intelligent nanomedicine development.
- Continued advancements in SAXS technology and data analysis are essential for the field.
