Research Information
Research Interests
The research in our laboratory focuses on novel platforms for the delivery of molecules and cells. In the molecular delivery projects we are examining novel affinity-based systems for delivery of therapeutic agents for HIV therapies, wound dressings, ocular disease, localized chemotherapy and other applications. Affinity-based delivery uses molecular interactions to control the rate of release beyond that capable by other means such as diffusion and degradation. This allows for control of delivery to better match the physiological need of the drug.
The cellular delivery projects are examining using directed differentiation to produce tissue engineered constructs from stem cell sources. Stem cells show great promise as a therapeutic tool due to their unlimited replication potential and their plasticity, or capacity to become many different cell types. Better control of differentiation and selection, will allow for rapid expansion of high purity differentiated cells suitable for tissue engineering, toxicology and pharmacology, as well as cellular modeling, without the need for isolating cells from primary sources.
Publications
- Affinity interactions drive post-implantation drug filling, even in the presence of bacterial biofilm. Cyphert EL, Zuckerman ST, Korley JN, von Recum HA. Acta Biomater. 2017 Apr 13. pii: S1742-7061(17)30242-8. doi: 10.1016/j.actbio.2017.04.015. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 28414173
- Infection prevention using affinity polymer-coated, synthetic meshes in a pig hernia model. Blatnik JA, Thatiparti TR, Krpata DM, Zuckerman ST, Rosen MJ, von Recum HA, J Surg Res. 2017 Nov Volume 219, Pages 5–10.