ISIS Neutron and Muon Source Data Journal

Probing the dynamic self-assembly of mRNA lipid nanoparticle with stopped flow in situ microfluidics SANS

Abstract: Messenger RNA (mRNA) technology allows the treatment of previously undruggable targets, broadening the range of treatable diseases and significantly accelerated the drug development timeline. However, mRNA alone cannot be delivered to cells directly as it is highly susceptible to degradation by the endogenous nucleases, hence it must be packaged in a delivery vehicle. The most translatable approach is to encapsulate the mRNA in lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). However, it is still not fully understood how individual lipid components interact with the RNA and self-assemble into LNPs. Hence in this proposal, we aim to use stopped-flow microfluidics combined with small-angle neutron scattering and isotopic substitution to assess the evolution of LNP nanostructure. The outcome of this experiment will deepen our understanding for the assembly dynamics of mRNA-LNPs and contribute to the development of a protocol for studying the kinetics of self-assembled systems.

Principal Investigator: Miss Nga Man Cheng
Local Contact: Dr Najet Mahmoudi
Experimenter: Dr Benjamin Fiedler
Experimenter: Dr Pratik Gurnani
Experimenter: Dr Naoto Hori
Experimenter: Mr Kidus Estifanos Biru

DOI: 10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2610648

ISIS Experiment Number: RB2610648

Publisher: STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source

Data format: RAW/Nexus
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Data Citation

The recommended format for citing this dataset in a research publication is as:
[author], [date], [title], [publisher], [doi]

For Example:
Miss Nga Man Cheng et al; (2026): Probing the dynamic self-assembly of mRNA lipid nanoparticle with stopped flow in situ microfluidics SANS, STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, https://doi.org/10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2610648

Data is released under the CC-BY-4.0 license.