Grants and Contributions:

Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2020-2021).

The chicken egg is a valuable nutritious food, and large markets exist for processed / purified egg yolk and egg white. However, more research is necessary to develop value-added applications for waste eggshell and eggshell membranes. Our proteomic analysis of eggshell membrane (ESM) has identified proteins with antimicrobial, immune-modulating, anticancer and antioxidant properties, and we have verified these activities in ESM. However, one of the biggest challenges for the use of ESM bioactive substrate is its poor solubility and bioavailability. These limitations could be resolved by reducing the size of the ESM particles to enhance the solubility and increasing the bioavailability to improve solubility. Nano/reduce sized ESM particles will enhance its dissolution and therapeutic efficacy against microbial infection, inflammation, and other disease conditions which were previously difficult to target due to size / solubility restrictions. The objective of the proposed study is to produce eggshell membrane nanoparticles (ESM-NPs) and evaluate its applications against cancer stem cells, microbial infection and inflammatory disease conditions, with an emphasis on skin applications. ESM-NPs will be produced from ESM and physically characterized. The antimicrobial activity of ESM-NPs will be evaluated by spread plate and microbroth dilution assay. ESM-NPs will be tested against human melanoma cell lines to evaluate its efficacy as an anti-skin cancer agent. ESM nanocream will be prepared and ESM-NP transport through cellulose acetate membrane and rat skin will be evaluated. The anti-inflammatory activity of ESM-NPs will also be evaluated. Studies with ESM will be extended to the nano-level, and will lead to the development of new high-value cosmetic and biomedical products from ESM by-products.