Improving Exosomes for Better Cancer Drug Delivery
A Convergent Bioengineered Platform for Multifunctional Therapeutic Exosomes
This project aims to create a new way to make and improve tiny natural particles called exosomes, so they can deliver cancer drugs more effectively to patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Notre Dame NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Notre Dame, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11132979 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Our bodies naturally produce tiny vesicles called exosomes, which are excellent at carrying substances and can even cross the blood-brain barrier. This project focuses on developing a new method to efficiently produce and engineer these exosomes. We want to load them with anti-cancer drugs and design them to specifically target cancer cells, track their movement, and combine different therapies. The goal is to create a versatile system that can deliver drugs with high precision and fewer side effects, potentially improving treatment for various cancers.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with various types of cancer, particularly those where current drug delivery methods are limited, could potentially benefit from future therapies developed using this platform.
Not a fit: Patients whose conditions do not involve cancer or those who do not require advanced drug delivery systems may not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more effective cancer treatments with fewer side effects, especially for hard-to-reach cancers like those in the brain.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work has shown that exosomes can improve how anti-cancer drugs work in the body compared to traditional drug delivery methods, and this project builds on that promise by developing a manufacturing platform.
Where this research is happening
Notre Dame, United States
- University of Notre Dame — Notre Dame, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Yichun — University of Notre Dame
- Study coordinator: Wang, Yichun
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.