Research

Overview

Bioadhesives/Sealants

Elastin-based Biomaterials

Conductive Hydrogels

Drug/Protien/Gene Delivery

Microfabrication

Drug/Protein/Gene Delivery

One aspect of our research focuses on designing multifunctional biomaterials as novel drug delivery platforms by combining our knowledge in biomaterials with nanotechnology, and microfabrication techniques. Our research particularly focuses on the delivery of biomolecules such as genes/proteins, drugs, and antimicrobial agents as well as the newly emerged exosomes containing therapeutic biomolecules for different biomedical applications (e.g., immunomodulation, wound healing, ocular diseases, dental and bone tissue engineering, and many other applications). These agents can be directly loaded into the hydrogel carrier or can be incorporated into nanoparticles to control their release profile over time. We can control their loading efficiency, delivery, and release by tuning the hydrogel’s physical or biochemical properties. In addition, nanoparticles based on biocompatible and biodegradable polymers are popular carriers for drug delivery purposes, since they offer high loading efficiency, precise control over the release rate, and the ability to degrade into non-toxic components. Taking advantage of these properties, our lab has developed advanced hydrogel-based delivery systems for localized and targeted delivery of biological active cues with minimal systemic toxicity.

Lab Members Working on this field: Yuting Zheng, Marian Olewine, Steven Vo, Zhanpeng (Jim) Liu, Tiffany Jean.

Related Articles:

1. Yuting Zheng, Yavuz Oz, Yimin Gu, Nadim Ahamad, Kaavian Shariati, Jose Chevalier, Diya Kapur, Nasim Annabi. Rational design of polymeric micelles for targeted therapeutic delivery. Nano Today 2024. Rational design of polymeric micelles for targeted therapeutic delivery – ScienceDirect
2. X. Chen, S. Gholizadeh, M. Ghovvati, Z. Wang, M. J. Jellen, A. Mostafavi, R. Dana, N. Annabi. Engineering a drug eluting ocular patch for delivery and sustained release of anti-inflammatory therapeutics. AIChE Journal 2023. Engineering a drug eluting ocular patch for delivery and sustained release of anti-inflammatory therapeutics – PMC
3. C. Jumelle, S. Gholizadeh, F. Gantin, N. Annabi*, R. Dana*. Advances and limitations of drug delivery systems formulated as eye drops. Journal of Controlled Release 2020. Advances and limitations of drug delivery systems formulated as eye drops – ScienceDirect
4. I.A. Khalil, B. Saleh, D.M. Ibrahim, C. Jumelle, A. Yung, R. Dana, N. Annabi. Ciprofloxacin-loaded bioadhesive hydrogels for ocular applications. Biomaterials Science, 2020. Ciprofloxacin-loaded bioadhesive hydrogels for ocular applications – Biomaterials Science (RSC Publishing)
5. Bahram Saleh, Harkiranpreet Kaur Dhaliwal, Roberto Portillo‐Lara, Ehsan Shirzaei Sani, Reza Abdi, Mansoor M Amiji, Nasim Annabi. Local immunomodulation using an adhesive hydrogel loaded with miRNA‐laden nanoparticles promotes wound healing. Small 2019. Local Immunomodulation Using an Adhesive Hydrogel Loaded with miRNA‐Laden Nanoparticles Promotes Wound Healing – Saleh – 2019 – Small – Wiley Online Library