The need for statistical physics in Africa: perspective and an illustration in drug delivery problems

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Sahini, Mtabazi G., Onoka, Isaac, Vuai, Said A. H., Roldán, Édgar, Swai, Hulda S., Shadrack, Daniel M.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Sahini, Mtabazi G.
Onoka, Isaac
Vuai, Said A. H.
Roldán, Édgar
Swai, Hulda S.
Shadrack, Daniel M.
author_facet Sahini, Mtabazi G.
Onoka, Isaac
Vuai, Said A. H.
Roldán, Édgar
Swai, Hulda S.
Shadrack, Daniel M.
contents The development of statistical physics in Africa is in its nascent stages, yet its application holds immense promise for advancing emerging research trends on the continent. This perspective paper, a product of a two-week workshop on biophysics in Morogoro (Tanzania), aims to illuminate the potential of statistical physics in regional scientific research. We employ in-silico atomistic molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the loading and delivery capabilities of lecithin nanolipids for niclosamide, a poorly water-soluble drug. Our simulations reveal that the loading capacity and interaction strength between lecithin nanolipids and niclosamide improve with increased lecithin concentrations. We perform a free-energy landscape analysis which uncovers two distinct metastable conformations of niclosamide within both the aqueous phase and the lecithin nanolipids. Over a simulation period of half a microsecond, lecithin nanolipids self-assemble into a spherical monolayer structure, providing detailed atomic-level insights into their interactions with niclosamide. These findings underscore the potential of lecithin nanolipids as efficient drug delivery systems.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2504_17452
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle The need for statistical physics in Africa: perspective and an illustration in drug delivery problems
Sahini, Mtabazi G.
Onoka, Isaac
Vuai, Said A. H.
Roldán, Édgar
Swai, Hulda S.
Shadrack, Daniel M.
Statistical Mechanics
Biological Physics
Chemical Physics
Physics and Society
The development of statistical physics in Africa is in its nascent stages, yet its application holds immense promise for advancing emerging research trends on the continent. This perspective paper, a product of a two-week workshop on biophysics in Morogoro (Tanzania), aims to illuminate the potential of statistical physics in regional scientific research. We employ in-silico atomistic molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the loading and delivery capabilities of lecithin nanolipids for niclosamide, a poorly water-soluble drug. Our simulations reveal that the loading capacity and interaction strength between lecithin nanolipids and niclosamide improve with increased lecithin concentrations. We perform a free-energy landscape analysis which uncovers two distinct metastable conformations of niclosamide within both the aqueous phase and the lecithin nanolipids. Over a simulation period of half a microsecond, lecithin nanolipids self-assemble into a spherical monolayer structure, providing detailed atomic-level insights into their interactions with niclosamide. These findings underscore the potential of lecithin nanolipids as efficient drug delivery systems.
title The need for statistical physics in Africa: perspective and an illustration in drug delivery problems
topic Statistical Mechanics
Biological Physics
Chemical Physics
Physics and Society
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.17452