Featured Publications

Kelly R. Stevens, Margaret A. Scull, Vyas Ramanan, Chelsea L. Fortin, Ritika R. Chaturvedi, Kristin A. Knouse, Jing W. Xiao, Canny Fung, Teodelinda Mirabella, Amanda X. Chen, Margaret G. McCue, Michael T. Yang, Heather E. Fleming, Kwanghun Chung, Ype P. de Jong, Christopher S. Chen, Charles M. Rice and Sangeeta N. Bhatia. Science Translational Medicine, 19 Jul 207: Vol. 9, Issue 399. Stevens et al. fabricated artificial liver seeds in biomaterials that were able to grow after implantation into mice in response to liver injury, and began to carry out normal liver functions. The work offers an approach to study organ development and a possible strategy for organ engineering.

Junwei Li, Madison A. Baird, Michael A. Davis, Wanyi Tai, Larry S. Zweifel, Kristina M. Adams Waldorf, Michael Gale Jr, Lakshmi Rajagopal, Robert H. Pierce, Xiaohu Gao. Nature Biomedical Engineering, 1, 0082 (2017). The researchers report a simple, universal "add-on" technology (EASE) that converts the ordinary sensitivities of common bioassays to extraordinary ones. They demonstrate that EASE facilitated increased sensitivity of ELISA-based detection of HIV, and enabled the direct visualization in tissues of the Zika virus and of low-abundance biomarkers for neurological diseases and cancer immunotherapy.

Alissa Bleem, Robyn Francisco, James D. Bryers, Valerie Daggett. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2017; 3:16. The researchers have designed small proteins that can inhibit the formation of biofilms, common sources of infection for hundreds of patients worldwide, especially with those who have implanted medical devices. Their designed anti-a-sheet peptides suppressed the formation of biofilm in S. aureus, a bacteria resistant to many drugs, by about half, and prevented aggregation of infectious proteins through their binding mechanism.

Alec S. T. Smith, Hyok Yoo, Hyunjung Yi, Eun Hyun Ahn, Justin H. Lee, Guozheng Shao, Ekaterina Nagornyak, Michael A. Laflamme, Charles E. Murry and Deok-Ho Kim. Chemical Communications, 2017, 54, 7412-7415. Dr. Kim and colleagues demonstrate a method for producing cardiac tissue scaffolds with anisotropic electroconductive properties using PEG-graphene substrates.

Shichu Huang , Koji Abe, Steven Bennett, Tinny Liang, Paula D. Ladd, Lindsay Yokobe, Caitlin E. Anderson, Kamal Shah, Josh Bishop, Mike Purfield, Peter C. Kauffman, Sai Paul, AnneMarie E. Welch, Bonnie Strelitz, Kristin Follmer, Kelsey Pullar, Luis Sanchez-Erebia, Emily Gerth-Guyette, Gonzalo Domingo, Eileen Klein, Janet A. Englund, Elain Fu and Paul Yager. Analytical Chemistry, 2017, 89 (11), 5776-5783. The researchers demonstrate a prototype of a self-contained, automated, disposable device for chemically amplified protein-based detection of influenza virus from nasal swab specimens. The device was tested in a clinical setting and was well received by patients and clinicians, further inspiring further optimization of the device.

Jaehyung Park, Renuka Ramanathan, Linhchi Pham, Kim Woodrow. Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine, Volume 13, Issue 6, August 2017, 2015-2025. The researchers propose a method to achieve enhanced immune response against viral infections in the female reproductive tract. They demonstrate that intravaginal pre-treatment with chitosan significantly facilitates translocation of nanoparticles across the the multilayered vaginal epithelium to target draining lymph nodes.

Debobrato Das, Jasmin Chen, Selvi Srinivasan, Abby M. Kelly, Brian Lee, Hye-Nam Son, Frank Radella, T. Eoin West, Daniel M. Ratner, Anthony J. Convertine, Shawn J. Skerrett and Patrick S. Stayton. Molecular Pharmaceutics, 2017, 14 (6), 1988-1997. The researchers demonstrate a macromolecular therapeutic platform that provides sustained local delivery of ciprofloxacin. Their work addresses the unmet need for inhaled treatments for lung-based intracellular bacterial infections such as Franciscella tularensis pneumonia (tularemia), which are currently treated with oral or IV antibiotics that poorly achieve and sustain pulmonary drug bioavailability.

Arja Ray, Oscar Lee, Zaw Win, Rachel M. Edwards, Patrick W. Alford, Deok-Ho Kim and Paolo P. Provenzano. Nature Communications, 8, 1493 (2017). The researchers investigate whole cell and molecular level interactions that mediate contact guidance of phenotypically distinct carcinoma cells. By using nano-patterning techniques to produce substrates that facilitate detailed analysis, they identify a cellular mechanism of topographic sensing that can account for the diversity of responses across multiple cell phenotypes.

Yilong Chen, Drew L. Sellers, James-Kevin Y. Tan, David J. Peeler, Philip J. Horner, Suzie H. Pun. Biomaterials. Volume 127, May 2017, Pages 89-96. The researchers report a pH-sensitive polymer, p(PMA-PMBA)-b-p(OEGMA-DMAEMA) (SP), and its successful use in vitro and in vivo gene transfer. The polymer addresses the dilemma of stability and cargo release in gene delivery, and may have broad potential therapeutic agent delivery applications.