Immune reprogramming

A common roadblock in the development of nanomedicines is that nanoparticles are easily engulfed by immune cells in the blood or while circulating through organs from the reticuloendothelial system (RES), thus preventing them from reaching their anatomical target. However, what are typically bad news for the targeting of nanomedicines against tumors or organs other than liver and spleen, can be deployed to deliver signals that re-educate immune cells, and restore or augment immune function. Our lab is developing immune reprogramming nanomaterials to re-establish immune tolerance in autoimmune disease and to improve cancer immunotherapies.