Molecular and Translational Nanomedicine
The Molecular and Translational Nanomedicine (MTN) track is designed for students who are interested in molecular design of nanomedicine platforms to help translate basic biological science to clinical medicine. For more details, review the Molecular and Translational Nanomedicine Degree Plan.
Faculty members in the MTN track are from a diverse scientific, engineering, and clinical background to offer a highly interdisciplinary training environment. Molecular design and nano engineering are closely integrated with pathophysiology and biology rationales to establish emerging precision paradigms for disease diagnosis and therapy.
MTN is ideally suited for students with strong engineering, physical science, or biology background and a keen desire to cross the boundaries between traditional scientific disciplines.
Research Topics
Selected research topics include:
- Nano delineation of tumor boundaries for image-guided cancer surgery
- Minimalist nanovaccine for immunotherapy
- Theranostic nanomedicine integrating imaging and therapeutic delivery targeting diabetes or cancer
- Cancer-targeted siRNA/miRNA delivery and therapy
Director
Associate Professor
Faculty
Professor
Research Interests: Activatable optical/MRI imaging probes to study tumor metabolism and theranostic nanomedicine for cancer-targeted drug therapy
Professor
Research Interests: Cancer microenvironment, tumor targeted immunotherapy, antibody engineering, anti-cancer treatment-induced immune responses
Assistant Professor
Research Interests: Ultrasound contrast agent, perfluorocarbon emulsions, development of new ultrasound-based strategies for early detection and treatment of diseases
Assistant Professor
Research Interests: Bioresponsive nanomaterials for in vivo detection and therapy; targeted and activatable ultrasound agents for the detection of inflammation and cancer; ultrasound-based gene delivery platforms
Professor
Research Interests: Tumor pathophysiology, development of novel therapeutics and prognostic imaging biomarkers based on MRI, optical and photoacoustic imaging.
Professor
Research Interests: Responsive MRI contrast agents, targeted MR and PET agents, carbon-13 tracers of metabolism, high-field magnetic resonance spectroscopy in vivo
Associate Professor
Research Interests: Polymer and materials chemistry, drug and gene delivery, RNAi, biomedical imaging, detection and treatment of cancer
Professor
Research Interests: Clinical application of nanoprobes with unique nanoscale behavior
Professor
Research Interests: Development of PET, SPECT, and MRI imaging probes to assess biological abnormalities and evaluation of disease treatment
Associate Professor
Research Interests: Mass spectrometry, post-translational modifications, quantitative proteomics, signal transduction/cancer biology and metabolism
Associate Members
These faculty members do not accept graduate students. They participate in teaching, co-mentoring, exam and dissertation committees, and all other program activities.
Professor
Research Interests: Urology; laparoscopy, telesurgical mentoring
Assistant Professor
Research Interests: Molecular and functional imaging, rational design of bifunctional ligands, targeted MRI contrast agents and radiopharmaceuticals
Professor
Research Interests: Cervical cancer, developmental therapeutics, ovarian cancer, early detection of ovarian cancer
