Research Projects

Currently, Nanomedicine COE-TCR has six (6) focus/primary multidisciplinary research areas (shared amongst respective investigators) :

Targeted mitochondrial nanomedicines for control of cancer bioenergetics and induction of apoptosis

(Lead PIs: Weissig, Joshi and Elbayoumi)

Active research projects in this area:

• Intracellular delivery of bortezomib using mitochondria targeted ceramide liposomes (Joshi's lab)
• Neutralization of adriamycin-induced cadiotoxicity via mitochondria-targeted modulator-loaded nanocarriers (Elbayoumi's Lab)
• Mitochondriotropic anticancer nanomedicines: drug/carrier design optimization and enhancement of in vitro / in vivo efficacy of mitochondria-specific flavonoid-loaded lipidic as adjuvants for anticancer chemotherapy (Elbayoumi's Lab)
• Efficient liposomal delivery of synthetic phosphagen substrates to impair cancer cell bioenegrgetics and triggering apoptosis (Elbayoumi's Lab)

Nanoscale carriers of combination chemotherapy for treatment of multi-drug resistant tumors

(Lead PIs: Elbayoumi, and Vinay Janthakahalli)

Active research projects in this area:

• Novel pro-apoptotic genistein-loaded lipidic nano-vesicles for anti-cancer chemotherapy, for resistant solid tumors over-expressing Pgp-efflux pump (Elbayoumis & Vinay Janthakahalli's labs)

Nano-biomaterials for chemotherapy of periodontal and oro-pharyngeal lesions

(Lead PIs: Mitchell, Wang and Elbayoumi)

Active research projects in this area:

• Prototype lipo-polymeric muco-adhesive oral gel/buccal solid tablet and fast dissolving film delivery platforms for controlled localized delivery of gensitein against tongue and pharyngeal carcinoma lesions s (Elbayoumi's lab)
• Multi-layered mucoadhesive tocotrienol-based nanoemulsion combination platform for clotrimazole against oro-pharryngeal cancers (Elbayoumi's & Mitchell's labs)

Targeted anti-angiogenic/vascular nano-therapy of cancer

(Lead PIs: Yao, Elbayoumi, and Hull)

Active research projects in this area:

• Novel CD47-modified genistein liposomes as pro-apototic and antiangiogenic startegy against metastatic estrogen-dependednt tumors (Elbayoumi's lab)
• Targeting TSP-1 for inhibition of solid cancer angiogenesis using CAM. (Yao's & Elbayoumi's labs)

Translational skin cancer chemo-protection and chemo-sensitization via cutaneous nano-composites

Lead PIs: Elbayoumi, Hull, and Averitte)

Active research projects in this area:

• Development and in vitro/in vivo efficacy assessment of trans-dermal lipidic nanocarriers with vitamin E-matrix for combination chemotherapy for malignant skin melanomas (Elbayoumi's and Hull's labs, in collaboration with Avirette's ALBR)
• Anti-oxidant-based nanoformulations for augmented chemo-prevention of photo-carcinogensis (Elbayoumi's labs)
• Cationic niosomal platforms for active delivery of chemotherapeutic and chemopreventive agents against basal skin carcinomas (Elbayoumi's and Mitchell's labs)
• Exosomes in Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) and roles in metastasis and diagnosis (Hull's lab in collaboration with Avirette's ALBR)

Furthermore, each Nanomedicine-COE investigator's laboratory is also pursuing other independed nanoscale research projects/areas, as follows:

Dr. V. Weissig's Laboratory:

1. Nanoliposome-based treatment of amyloid protein toxicity (Collaboration with Dr. Raymond Migrino, VA Hospital Phoenix, AZ)
2. Bolaamphiphile-based nanocomplex delivery of antisense oligonucleotides to Clostridium difficile (Collaboration with Dr. David Stewart, Pennsylvania State University, College of Medicine, Hershey, PA)

Dr. M. Joshi's Laboratory:

1. Design and development of a clinically acceptable, long circulating liposomal delivery system for IRL-1620 and its evaluation in cerebral ischemia rat models.

Dr. M. Yao's Laboratory:

1. Mechanistic in vitro and ex-vivo evaluation of a novel pharmaceutical stargety for selective abrogation of TSP1-induced vascular dysfunction via decoy recombinant CD47 protein.

Dr. V. Wong's Laboratory:

1. Differential Protein expression in primary and metastatic hemangiosarcoma tumors in dogs.

Dr. T. Elbayoumi's Laboratory:

1. Engineering of block-polymerized liposomal nano-vehicles (Polysomes) for efficnet encapsulation of macromolecules (Si/micro RNA & peptides).
2. Desing and in vitro assessment of hybrid nano-electrospun-3D printed scaffolds as alternative cancer models.

Dr. N. Janthakahalli's Laboratory:

1. Sensors for cellular-imaging and biomolecule identification.
2. Identifying glycans as cancer biomarkers and targets for therapy.

Dr. J. Gasiorowski's Laboratory:

1. Studying cellular responses to nano and micro scale extracellular matrix geometries.
2. Developing biomaterials to induce and direct nerve regeneration after traumatic injury.