Washington University in St. Louis

Faculty Member, School of Medicine

Assistant Professor in Medicine

Cardiovascular Division

About

Bio-inspired organic materials chemistry: Synthesis, properties and  application

We are pursuing cutting-edge research in three major frontiers: nanomedicine, materials chemistry, and organic materials. Our current research revolves around the development of new chemistry, and technological applications of nanostructured materials tunable between 10-250 nm both as a way of synthesizing new materials with adjustable characteristics and manipulating biomolecules to study their properties on the nanometer scale. Our research is broadly aimed at understanding and developing novel lipid-based and polymeric nanoparticle platforms for molecular imaging, drug delivery and non-viral gene delivery applications with a focus on structure, function and engineering processes. Our multidisciplinary approaches encompass a variety of chemical, polymeric, molecular biological and analytical methods. More specifically, the current inquiries also address the design, synthesis and characterization of nanoscopic materials and contribute to the overall research orientation of the Consortium for Translational Research in Advanced Imaging and Nanomedicine (C-TRAIN).

Active Research Programs

1) Role: Principal Investigator (Multi PIs with Lanza, Weilbaecher)
Funding Agency: National Institutes of Health (R01)
Title: Next Generation Approaches to Breast Cancer Using Image Guided Drug Delivery
2) Role: Principal Investigator
Funding Agency: American Heart Association (Scientist Development Grant)
Title: A Nanomedicine Approach to Coronary Ruptured Plaque with spectral Computed Tomography
3) Role: Principal Investigator
Funding Agency: American Heart Association (Innovative Research Grant)
Title: Photoacoustic tomography theranostic approach to diagnosis and treatment of carotid disease

Expired awards

4) Role: Principal Investigator
Funding Agency: St. Louis Institute of Nanomedicine (MO-Life Pilot Grant)
Title: Development and characterization of K-edge metal nanocolloids (NanoK) for detection of thrombus with spectral computed tomography (Spectral CT)

Research work translated or commercialized

1) Invention related to prodrug and nanoparticles: “Prodrug compositions, prodrug nanoparticles, and methods of use thereof” (2011) WO 2011130674 and US 2010-324464P.
Licensed to Kereos, Inc., St. Louis, MO, USA for development.
2) Invention related to metallic, hybrid nanoparticles: “Metal particles for imaging” (2009) US 20100297019 and WO 2009049083.
Licensed to Ocean Nanotech, Inc., Arkansas, USA for development. One of the products (Bismuth nanoparticle) is on sale: http://oceannanotech.com/class.php?cid=59.

Research highlights

Our work has been featured in many newspapers, popular magazines and journals. A short and selected list is given below.
1) “Nanoparticle discovery aids detection of blood clots”- Student Life, Jennifer Wei, February 11, 2011.
2) “New nanoparticles make blood clots visible”- Record, Julia Evangelou Strait, February 2, 2011.
3) “New research in the FASEB Journal shows how combining photoacoustic tomography with gold nanobeacons allows researchers to see blood vessel formation in detail without a microscope” by Staff Writers Washington DC (SPX) Intern Daily Nov 23, 2010.
4) “Medical imaging breakthrough uses light and sound to see microscopic details inside our bodies” Phys.org November 22, 2010.
5) “Sound, Light And Gold Can See Inside The Body” International Business Times By Jesse Emspak November 22, 2010.
6) “Light/Sound Used to See Details within the Body without a Microscope” Daily Tech, Tiffany Kaiser - November 23, 2010.
7) “Nanocolloids identify blood clots” Chemical Techchnology, vol 6, 2009.
8) “New 'smart' nanoparticles deliver drugs directly to tumors, plaques” by Gwen Ericson, Record, Sept 4, 2008
9) “Bagel-like nanoparticles deliver (minus the hole!) direct to tumor or plaque sites” in Future Medicine, Nanomedicine October 2008, Vol. 3, No. 5, Pages 609-611
10) “Holey Nanoparticles Create New Tumor Imaging and Therapeutic Agent” PhysOrg.com, July 22nd 2008
11) “Washington U med school researchers develop “smart” nanoparticles for drug delivery” by David Schwartz in Technology Transfer Tactics August 6th, 2008
12) “Nanobialys can carry drugs to tumors or plaques” in Nanoparticle Drug Delivery July 30th 2008
13) “Nanobialys May Help Fight Disease” in OneIndia, 2008
14) “Nanobialys Soon Be Carrying Medicinal Compounds to Tumors or Atherosclerotic Plaques” in AzoNanotechnology July 30th 2008.
15) “New disease-fighting nanoparticles look like miniature pastries” in Eureka Alert, July 29th 2008.
16) “Nanoparticle Carries Imaging and Medicinal Components” in Medical Imaging, Sept 11th, 2008.
17) “Shell cross-linked nanoparticles: Nanoparticle micelles for templating materials and cancer drug delivery vessels” by Helen Fletcher, Materials Chemistry Forum, 5, 2004
18) “Targeting Cancer” in Materials Today, November, 2003 (page: 9)

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