Nanotechnology

Developing therapeutic protein materials, where the protein is both the drug and the delivery system Engineering proteins to control and understand protein particle self-assembly Repurposing and engineering pathogenic proteins for human therapeutics Creating materials that mimic cell-cell interactions to modulate immunological functions for various applications, including inflammation, cancer, autoimmune disease, and vaccination

Cell biophysics. Cell mechanics of adhesion, migration and dynamics. Immunophysics and immunoengineering. Hyaluronan glycobiology. Hyaluronan synthase. Physics of tissues.  The Curtis lab is primarily focused on the physics of cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions, in particular within the context of glycobiology and immunobiology. Our newest projects focus on questions of collective and single cell migration in vitro and in vivo; immunophage therapy "an immunoengineering approach - that uses combined defense of immune cells plus viruses (phage) to overcome bacterial infections"; and the study of the molecular biophysics and biomaterials applications of the incredible enzyme, hyaluronan synthase. A few common scientific themes emerge frequently in our projects: biophysics at interfaces, the use of quantitative modeling, collective interactions of cells and/or molecules, cell mechanics, cell motility and adhesion, and in many cases, the role of bulky sugars in facilitating cell integration and rearrangements in tissues.

In the Dahlman Lab, we focus on the interface between nanotechology, molecular biology, and genomics. We design drug delivery vehicles that target RNA and other nucleic acids to cells in the body. We have delivered RNAs to endothelial cells, and have treated heart disease, cancer, inflammation, pulmonary hypertension, emphysema, and even vein graft disease. Because we can deliver RNAs to blood vessels at low doses, sometimes we decide to deliver multiple therapeutic RNAs to the same cell at once. These 'multigene therapies' have been used to treat heart disease and cancer. Why is this important? Most diseases are caused by combinations of genes, not a single gene. We also rationally design the nucleic acids we want to deliver. For example, we re-engineered the Cas9 sgRNA to turn on genes, instead of turning them off. This enabled us to easily turn on gene A and turn off gene B in the same cell.

Bone Tissue Engineering, Computational Design and Fabrication of Resorbable Scaffolds, Composite Scaffolds, Direct Digital Manufacturing Technologies, Large-Area Micro- and Nanoscale Photopolymerization, Patterning, and Interference Lithography Technologies, Laser Materials Processing.

Bioengineering: lymphatics, lipid metabolism, biomechanics, biomedical optics, image processing, and tissue engineering.

The Dreaden Lab uses molecular engineering to impart augmented, amplified, or non-natural function to tumor therapies and immunotherapies. The overall goal of our research is to engineer molecular and nanoscale tools that can (i) improve our understanding of fundamental tumor biology and (ii) simultaneously serve as cancer therapies that are more tissue-exclusive and patient-personalized. The lab is housed on the Emory SOM campus and currently focuses on three main application areas: optically-triggered immunotherapies, combination therapies for pediatric cancers, and nanoscale cancer vaccines. Our work aims to translate these technologies into the clinic and beyond.

Computational simulations of complex biophysical phenomena involving proteins and other biomolecules.

Dr. Hesketh's research interests are in Sensors and Micro/Nano-electro-mechanical Systems (MEMS/NEMS). 

Dr. Jacob's research is directed at stress induced phase changes, nanoscale characterization of materials, synthesis of polymeric nanofibers, mechanical behavior of fiber assemblies (particularly related to biological systems and biomimitic systems), nanoparticle reinforced composites, transdermal drug delivery systems, large scale deformation of rubbery (networked) polymers, and nanoscale fracture of materials. The objectives in this work, using theoretical, computational and experimental techniques, is to understand the effect of micro- and nano- structures in the behavior of materials in order to try to design the micro/nano structures for specific materials response.

Systems Biophotonics, Imaging Technology, Intelligent Materials, Optical AI

Polyvalency and Biotherapeutics Nanobiotechnology Optogenetics Professor Kane’s group conducts research at the interface of biotechnology and nanotechnology. The group is designing nanoscale polyvalent therapeutics and working on the molecular engineering of biosurfaces and nanostructures.  

Molecular engineering, nucleic acid self-assembly, nanomaterials, nanomedicne, and targeted imaging and delivery.

Bioengineering, fluid mechanics, biofluid mechanics, medical devices, medical implants, translational technology, and entrepreneurship.

Cancer and DNA nanotechnology, engineering immunity, noninvasive diagnostics, nanomedicine, biomedical micro- and nanosystems, high throughput technologies. My research program is conducted at the interface of the life sciences, medicine and engineering where a central focus is understanding how to harness the sophisticated defense mechanisms of immune cells to eradicate disease and provide protective immunity. To aid in our studies, we use high-throughput technologies such as next-generation sequencing and quantitative mass spectrometry, and pioneer the development of micro- and nanotechnologies in order to achieve our goals. We focus on clinical problems in cancer, infectious diseases and autoimmunity, and ultimately strive to translate key findings into therapies for patients.

Microfluidics; bioMEMS; behavior neuroscience; cell biology; automation and high throughput engineering approaches to biology and biotechnology.

Our research is in the areas of biomolecular engineering and nanotechnology, with a focus on bioconjugated nanoparticles for cancer molecular imaging, molecular profiling, pharmacogenomics, and targeted therapy.

Drug, gene and vaccine delivery; transdermal delivery; ocular delivery; intracellular delivery; microneedles; microfabricated devices; ultrasound

Her research plans include (1) instrument development for in situ organic analysis in the search for extraterrestrial life, (2) microfluidic approaches to experimentally evaluating hypotheses on the origin of biomolecules and the emergence of life, and (3) terrestrial applications of these technologies for environmental analysis and point-of-care diagnostics.

Bioengineering and Microelectromechanical Systems: Atomic force microscopy, pathogen adhesion and endocytosis, cell biomechanics, single molecule biophysics, drug delivery and targeting, cell membrane mimetics, and biosensors.

The MNM Biotech Lab uses engineering expertise to assist life scientists in the study, diagnosis, and treatment of human disease. By developing better models of the body, we help advance drug discovery, increase understanding of the mechanisms of disease, and develop clinical treatments.

Incorporating mechanics with cellular engineering, biochemistry, biomaterials, and immunology to 1) elucidate how physical forces regulate seemingly unrelated aspects of cancer such as metastasis and immune suppression as well as 2) develop novel immunotherapeutics to treat cancer.

His research group focuses on establishing an integrated experimental and computational framework to translate our understanding of the fundamental principles of biophysics and biochemistry (i.e., the physicochemical properties that confer function) into useful processes, devices, therapies, and diagnostics that will benefit society.

Disruptive technologies enabled by nanoscale materials and devices will define our future in the same way that microtechnology has done over the past several decades. Our current research centers on the design and synthesis of novel nanomaterials for a broad range of applications, including nanomedicine, regenerative medicine, cancer theranostics, tissue engineering, controlled release, catalysis, and fuel cell technology. We are design and synthesize/fabricate novel nanomaterials that could serve as: 1) theranostic agents for cancer and other diseases; 2) multifucntional probes for cellular tracking; 3) smart capsules for site-specific, on-demand delivery; and 4) scaffolds for the repair or regeneration of tissues.

Dr. Yeo’s research in the field of biomedical science and bioengineering focuses on the fundamental and applied aspects of biomolecular interactions, soft materials, and nano-microfabrication for the development of nano-biosensors and soft bioelectronics.

Neuroengineering, Tissue Engineering, Organ-on-chips, Microfluidics, Drug Delivery, Cell Mechanics

Molecular Immunology;  Mechanobiology of T-cell receptor and Programmed cell death 1; Molecular dynamics simulations.

Connectomics, process optimization, electron microscopy, serial sectioning, microfluidics, capillary interactions, tomography

Bioengineering Graduate Research Assistant focused on the research of Focused Ultrasound and how it impacts microbubbles to optimize the efficiency of drug delivery and biomarker secretions for brain cancer treatment.

Single molecule binding kinetics. Atomic force microscopy.

disturbed flow and miR-744 in atherosclerosis, anti-miRNA delivery

Cellular Engineering

Annually, rupture of atherosclerotic plaques is the main cause of 19 million deaths attributed to cardiovascular disease.  Physicians' inability to locate plaques and assess their likelihood of rupture is an impediment to treatment of this disease.  Photoacoustic imaging is a technique by which pulsed light is used to locally heat tissue, producing a thermal expansion that can be measured with an ultrasound transducer.  The intensity of the thermal expansion is proportional to the aborption coefficient of the tissue at the light wavelength used for excition.  Contrast between tissue types can thus be determined by measuring changes in the intensity of the signal measured by the ultrasound transducer when different wavelengths of light are used.  Rupture prone plaques can thus be identified by the significant presence of lipid, which has an absorption spectra that is distinct from other tissues types found in healthy vessels.    Tim's current research project focuses on the use of intravascular photoacoustics and ultrasound (which is used to determine general vessel morphology) to image atherosclerotic plaques.  Tim works in a subgroup of Dr. Emelianov's lab which uses a catheter based system that combines ultrasound and photoacoustic images.  His research work has several dimensions.  First, he is using Monte Carlo modeling methods, with experimental validation, to determine the light wavelengths that will optimize lipid contrast.  Second, he is completing safety studies in vitro (cell based), ex vivo (porcine aortic vessels), and in vivo (rabbit aortas) to determine if light absorption from photoacoustic imaging causes undesirable side effects in vessel tissue.  Third, he is investigating the use of thermal photoacoustics to image lipid, in which temperature changes in the tissue are used to produce contrast instead of different light wavelenghts.  Fourth, Tim will be involved in experiments in which the imaging system will be used in vivo.  In vivo studies will start with rabbits (normal and atherosclerotic models) and later involve atherosclerotic pigs.  Exogenous contrast agents may also be used to enhance contrast.  

Microphysiological System, Drug Delivery, Microfluidic

Wearable physiological monitoring, stretchable/flexible hybrid electronics, MEMS, advanced diagnostics, signal processing and machine learning

Bioelectronics in Point of Care applications, high throughput protein diagnostic platform

Microfabrication, Microfluidics, MEMS

BioImaging, Systems Biology, Nanotechnology