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arXiv · 2504.17452

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

Mtabazi G. Sahini·Isaac Onoka·Said A. H. Vuai·Édgar Roldán·Hulda S. Swai·Daniel M. Shadrack
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Abstract

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.

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Mtabazi G. Sahini, Isaac Onoka, Said A. H. Vuai, Édgar Roldán, Hulda S. Swai, Daniel M. Shadrack. 2025-04-24. The need for statistical physics in Africa: perspective and an illustration in drug delivery problems. https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.17452

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