A5091853583- Nanoplatforms for cancer theranostics
- Photodynamic Therapy Research Studies
- Supramolecular Self-Assembly in Materials
- Collagen: Extraction and Characterization
- Cancer Research and Treatments
- Polydiacetylene-based materials and applications
- Electrospun Nanofibers in Biomedical Applications
- Chemical Synthesis and Analysis
- Hydrogels: synthesis, properties, applications
- Silk-based biomaterials and applications
- Photochromic and Fluorescence Chemistry
- Immunotherapy and Immune Responses
- Glycosylation and Glycoproteins Research
- Bacterial Identification and Susceptibility Testing
- Nerve injury and regeneration
- Nanoparticle-Based Drug Delivery
- Glioma Diagnosis and Treatment
- COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
- interferon and immune responses
- Marine Biology and Environmental Chemistry
- Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
- Polymer Surface Interaction Studies
- Vaccine Coverage and Hesitancy
- SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- Osteoarthritis Treatment and Mechanisms
Rice University
2021-2025
Harvard University
2019-2025
Massachusetts General Hospital
2019-2025
University of Houston
2024
Desmoplasia is characteristic of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which exhibits 5-year survival rates 3%. presents physical and biochemical barriers that contribute to treatment resistance, yet depleting the stroma alone unsuccessful even detrimental patient outcomes. This study first demonstration targeted photoactivable multi-inhibitor liposomes (TPMILs) induce both photodynamic chemotherapeutic tumor insult, while simultaneously remediating desmoplasia in orthotopic PDAC. TPMILs...
Progress in the design and synthesis of nanostructured self-assembling systems has facilitated realization numerous nanoscale geometries, including fibers, ribbons, sheets. A key challenge been achieving control across multiple length scales creating macroscopic structures with organization. Here, we present a facile extrusion-based fabrication method to produce anisotropic, nanofibrous hydrogels using peptides. The application shear force coinciding ion-triggered gelation is used...
Abstract The collagen triple helix assembles hierarchically into bundled oligomers, solvated networks and fibers. Synthetic peptide assemblies, driven by supramolecular interactions, can form single helices through intrahelical amino acid pairs, but the principles guiding interhelical associations higher-order structures remain unclear. Here, we incorporate cation- π electrostatic charge pairs to probe interactions elucidate mechanisms driving assembly fibrils, nanotubes, nanosheets....
Receptor heterogeneity in cancer is a major limitation of molecular targeting for therapeutics. Single-receptor-targeted treatment exerts selection pressures that result escape low-receptor-expressing tumor subpopulations. To overcome this potential heterogeneity-driven resistance to targeted photodynamic therapy (PDT), we present the first time triple-receptor-targeted photoimmuno-nanoconjugate (TR-PIN) platform. TR-PIN functionalization with cetuximab, holo-transferrin, and trastuzumab...
Self-assembled nanomaterials are promising candidates for drug delivery by providing a higher degree of spatiotemporal control compared to free drugs. However, challenges such as burst release, inadequate targeting, and drug-nanomaterial incompatibility leave room improvement. The combination orthogonal self-assembling systems can result in more useful materials that improve upon these weaknesses. In this work, we investigate an system nanofibrous MultiDomain Peptide (MDP) hydrogels...
Abstract Fibrous proteins that comprise the extracellular matrix (ECM) guide cellular growth and tissue organization. A lack of synthetic strategies able to generate aligned, ECM-mimetic biomaterials has hampered bottom-up engineering anisotropic tissues led a limited understanding cell-matrix interactions. Here, we present facile extrusion-based fabrication method produce anisotropic, nanofibrous hydrogels using self-assembling peptides. The application shear force coinciding with...
Abstract Thermogelling hydrogels, such as poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) [P(NiPAAm)], provide tunable constructs leveraged in many regenerative biomaterial applications. Recently, our lab developed the crosslinker poly(glycolic acid)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(glycolic acid)-di(but-2-yne-1,4-dithiol), which crosslinks P(NiPAAm-co-glycidyl methacrylate) via thiol-epoxy reaction and can be functionalized with azide-terminated peptides alkyne-azide click chemistry. This study’s aim was to evaluate...
Thermogelling hydrogels based on poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (p[NiPAAm]) and crosslinked with a peptide-bearing macromer poly(glycolic acid)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(glycolic acid)-di(but-2-yne-1,4-dithiol) (PdBT) were fabricated to assess the role of hydrogel charge lower critical solution temperature (LCST) over time in influencing cellular infiltration tissue integration an ex vivo cartilage explant model 21 days. The p(NiPAAm)-based thermogelling polymer was synthesized possess 0, 5,...
Abstract The most abundant natural collagens form heterotrimeric triple helices. Synthetic mimics of collagen heterotrimers have been found to fold slowly, even compared the already slow rates homotrimeric These prolonged folding are not understood and studied. This work compares three mimics’ stabilities, specificities rates. One these was designed through a computational-assisted approach, resulting in well-controlled composition register, addition providing increased amino acid diversity...
Abstract Glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) are potent tumor initiators resistant to radiochemotherapy, and this subpopulation is hypothesized re‐populate the milieu due selection following conventional therapies. Here, we show that 5‐aminolevulinic acid (ALA) treatment—a pro‐fluorophore used for fluorescence‐guided cancer surgery—leads elevated levels of fluorophore conversion in patient‐derived GSC cultures, subsequent red light‐activation induces apoptosis both intrinsically temozolomide...
Creating thermally stable collagen mimetic peptides (CMPs) is a persistent challenge. Nature leverages covalent crosslinking to stabilize collagens signature triple helical tertiary structure and higher-order assemblies. Here, we demonstrate that between levodopa (Dopa) lysine, amino acids present in native collagen, can covalently the helix peptides. Since alkaline conditions catalyze oxidation of catechol on Dopa benzoquinone while being proximity nucleophilic hypothesized this reaction...
Effective vascularization is crucial for repairing and enhancing the longevity of engineered tissues organs. As field advances, there a vital need efficient reliable methods for...
<h3>Background</h3> Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC), the sixth most common cancer worldwide, is associated with high-risk subtypes of human papillomavirus (HPV), tobacco, alcohol over-consumption. Standard care treatments include surgery, radiation or chemoradiation. Five-year survival rates for patients locoregionally advanced HNSCC have not significantly improved in decades remain at approximately 60%, driving need novel treatment strategies such as immunotherapy....
Abstract Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal malignancies with a survival rate approximately 5% at five years. At diagnosis, majority patients present advanced primary or metastatic disease that unresectable. PDAC pathophysiology challenging for current therapies as immunosuppressive desmoplastic stroma limits responsiveness to treatments including immunotherapy. Latter condition making vast proportion tumors immunologically cold defined by lack effective immune...
Rapid and accurate diagnosis of bacterial carbapenemases remains a major challenge for clinical laboratories. A novel assay was developed here using fluorescence identification β-lactamase activity (FIBA) to permit rapid detection classification carbapenemases.
Abstract Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is among the deadliest forms of cancer. Currently, it third leading cause cancer deaths in United States. At diagnosis, majority patients present with advanced primary or metastatic disease that unresectable. PDAC pathophysiology challenging for current therapies as immunosuppressive desmoplastic stroma limits responsiveness to treatments including immunotherapy. The latter condition making a vast proportion tumors being immunologically cold defined...