Hamid Ghandehari, PhD
Departments of Pharmaceutics & Pharmaceutical Chemistry
University of Utah
(host: Prof. Sandro Mecozzi)
Localized Drug Delivery Approaches for Solid Tumor Therapy
Over the past few decades, research at the interface of materials science, drug discovery, biology and clinical translation has enabled the design and development of delivery systems for more effective and less toxic treatment of a variety of conditions such as cancer and infectious diseases. Most of these systems such as liposomes and polymeric matrices are designed for passive delivery of bioactive agents. Recent advances in nanotechnology, materials science, and engineering, as well as improved understanding of the diseased conditions, have provided opportunities for the development of better-defined delivery strategies in response to changes in local stimuli. This talk will focus on a few examples of such strategies. The use of gold nanorod-mediated hyperthermia and high intensity focused ultrasound for enhancing localized delivery of polymer therapeutics to solid tumors will be presented. Example of design and development of recombinant polymers with motifs sensitive to matrix metaloproteases for delivery of gene carriers to treat head and neck tumors and as liquid embolics will be discussed. In vitro and in vivo toxicity and cellular uptake of silica nanoconstructs as a function of shape, size, porosity, and surface functionality and development of degradable silica nanoparticles will be presented.
Room 2006 Rennebohm Hall