Nanotechnology to Target Cardiometabolic & Neurologic Diseases

Our lab develops advanced platforms for targeted drug delivery and gene circuit silencing across critical disease areas.

GLP-1 Biology

The lab engineered helper nanoparticles called "ePL" that, when co-administered with AAV viral vectors, enable over a 10-fold reduction in effective AAV dose while maintaining targeting and reducing neutralizing antibody responses, potentially making gene therapy cheaper and safer.

Gene Therapy Enhancers

Drug Delivery & Immunomodulation

The lab conjugates the anti-inflammatory metabolite itaconate to lipid nanoparticles (ITA-LNPs) to overcome its poor membrane permeability, achieving selective myeloid cell uptake and improved outcomes in inflammatory diseases like atherosclerosis.

The lab discovered that GLP-1 receptors are highly expressed not in macrophages (as long believed) but in transformed smooth muscle cells undergoing myeloid transition within atherosclerotic plaque, and developed "GlpNP" activatable nanoparticles that deliver GLP-1 agonists and imaging agents directly to plaque for combined MRI diagnostics and therapy.

Air Pollution

The lab develops nanoparticle-based therapies for Alzheimer's disease that work without needing to cross the blood-brain barrier, validating efficacy through behavioral memory tests (Novel Object Recognition, Y-Maze, and Barnes Maze).

Targeting Neurodegeneration

The lab studies how PM2.5 particulate air pollution drives cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders through mechanisms like inflammation, CCR2 signaling, insulin resistance, and endothelial injury, with findings that inform both clinical care and air quality policy.

Have an idea for a collaboration or want to work on one of our projects? Please reach out to inquire about joining our team!

Driving Discovery Through Collaboration and Support

Our work is made possible by the commitment of major funding organizations and the broader scientific community. Learn more about our sponsors and how our projects are supported.