(4cu) Engineering Functional Biomaterials and Smart Delivery Systems for Gene Therapy

Gene therapy using exogenous nucleic acids or gene editing tools has a wide range of biomedical applications. For example, diseases of genetic origin can potentially be cured with the introduction of therapeutic gene or the deletion of malfunctioning gene, autologous cells genetically modified ex vivo can be re-administered as a therapeutic or regenerative medicine, or specific antigen-expressing nucleic acids can be introduced as a vaccination strategy. One of the major limitations to the successful expression of proteins from genetic molecules is the ability of delivery vehicles to overcome biological barriers. My research interests focus on combining novel biomaterials and technologies to address the challenges of gene therapy in multiple fronts.

Previous research experience as a graduate student involved mostly on the development of biomaterials as the approach to enhance the utility of non-viral polymeric vectors. Specifically, my work was aimed at achieving tissue- and cell-specific gene expression via chemical modifications of an existing class of polymer, and understanding the biomaterial's structure-function relationship. Specific modification, such as conjugation of a functional group, and high-throughput screening of combinatorial library of newly synthesized polymers were two main design strategies utilized to allow safe and targeted delivery of exogenous DNA in cancer and ocular applications. The experience has equipped me with knowledge and skillset in structural design and reaction schemes for constructing novel biomaterials with tunable properties and functionalities.

As a postdoctoral fellow, I had the opportunity to work on several projects towards platform technology development. Key accomplishments include the use of deep eutectic solvents as the inactive ingredient to create drug delivery systems capable of 1) solubilizing hydrophobic cancer drugs into nanocomplexes as intravenous formulations, 2) self-emulsifying in situ in subcutaneous tissue for sustained release of therapeutic small molecules, or 3) enhancing absorption of macromolecules from subcutaneous injection to accelerate and increase bioavailability. Relating to gene therapy, we also developed a system of viral vector (adeno-associated virus) adsorbed on the surface of red blood cells, as means to evade the neutralization of the viruses by the antibodies and allow repeated administrations. The process of creative and critical thinking in designing these versatile systems was a valuable experience that I believe will aid in generating novel and exciting technologies.

My broad training in biomaterials and drug delivery systems has prepared me with skills to contribute to the progress of gene therapy towards clinical translation. As a faculty, my goal is to build a research group that will continue to engineer enabling materials and delivery systems for gene therapy. I also hope to pioneer in next generation technologies towards precision medicine by fostering multidisciplinary research, including the application of machine learning to better design personalized gene therapeutics.

Complete List of Published Work in CV and Google Scholar:
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=hJEI_jAAAAAJ&hl=en

Master’s Dissertation: “Investigation of cellular uptake of poly(β-amino ester) polyplexes”

Advisor: Jordan J. Green, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Engineering, Translational Tissue Engineering Center (TTEC), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

Ph.D. Dissertation: “Engineering polymeric drug delivery vehicles for enhanced tissue targeting”

Advisor: Jordan J. Green, Ph.D., Department of Biomedical Engineering, Translational Tissue Engineering Center (TTEC), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

Postdoctoral Project: “Deep eutectic solvent- and cell-based drug delivery systems”

Advisor: Samir Mitragotri, Ph.D., John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Wyss Institute of Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University

Teaching Interests:

Throughout my academic career, I participated in several classroom-setting teaching and laboratory mentoring roles. I served as the teaching assistant to a laboratory course as well as a core course in the biomedical engineering curriculum designed for both undergraduate and graduate students at the Johns Hopkins University. I also had the opportunity to create my own semester-long class on the topic of drug delivery, which is my area of research expertise, for undergraduate students. The course was designed to be interactive, where recent advancement in the field was reviewed and future directions were brainstormed and proposed by students through active discussions. In addition, I have mentored and trained more than 10 high school, undergraduate and graduate students. One high school and four undergraduate students were included as co-authors in publications from our collaborative work.

These teaching and mentoring experiences collectively have prepared me to teach graduate- and undergraduate-level courses in the engineering principles behind material science, nanotechnology, and pharmaceutics for biomedical applications in both descriptive (lecture-based) and interactive (projects, computational modeling) environments. In addition, I would also be excited to develop new seminar courses on the topic of the entire spectrum of therapeutics development process from the clinical motivation to product marketing. I envision a format involving interviews and Q&A’s with guests (patients, clinicians, basic scientists, chemical and biomedical engineers, product developers in industry, and business marketing experts of specific medical applications) to introduce the whole nine yards of the field. I have learned the true importance of understanding the needs from these diverse yet inter-connected specialties even for researchers in biomedical / chemical engineering. Importantly, I believe such course will ensure an inclusive pedagogy practice where diverse backgrounds are appreciated, which will foster the best environment for students to learn and identify their specific interests.