Guiding Nanoparticles to Cancer with Immune Cells
Reveal myeloid cell-mediated targeting through nano-bio interface
This research explores how tiny particles can be guided by your body's immune cells to better reach cancer and inflammatory areas.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Gainesville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11173711 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
When tiny particles, called nanoparticles, are put into the body to treat diseases like cancer, they often don't go exactly where they're needed. This happens because proteins in your blood stick to them, changing how they interact with your cells. Our goal is to understand how certain immune cells, called myeloid cells, can pick up these nanoparticles and carry them directly to inflamed or cancerous tissues. By learning how these immune cells interact with nanoparticles, we hope to design new treatments that are much better at targeting diseases.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with various cancers or inflammatory conditions could potentially benefit from future treatments developed from this fundamental understanding.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate new treatments will not directly benefit from this foundational laboratory research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to deliver medicines more precisely to cancer and inflammatory sites, potentially making treatments more effective and reducing side effects.
How similar studies have performed: While previous animal studies have shown some success in characterizing immune cell trafficking, this work aims to provide a novel mechanistic understanding of how nanoparticles interact with these cells.
Where this research is happening
Gainesville, United States
- University of Florida — Gainesville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhang, Fan — University of Florida
- Study coordinator: Zhang, Fan
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.