Multifunctional drug carriers and robotic nanodevices

A major advantage of nanostructures in biomedical applications is their enormous multifunctional capacity. By combining and manipulating the functional building blocks, it has become possible for us to construct a wide range of nanosystems capable of acting reliably even in the complex biological media. We employ DNA nanotechnology, peptide nanotechnology and lipid nanotechnology to establish platforms for applications such as targeted delivery, biological barrier circumvention, logic-gated processing of in situ signals, or immune modulation. We are also particularly interested in robotic nanosystems with well-controlled in vivo behaviors that may perform sophisticated tasks in living body with high precision.

Modulation of tumor microenvironment by nanomedicines

Malignant tumors, as highly complex tissues, draw their exceptional ability to survive clinical therapies from the dynamic crosstalk among tumor cells and microenvironmental components. Our Lab have long been interested in exploring the therapeutic value of numerous microenvironment players, such as blood vessels, platelets, fibroblasts, extracellular matrix, metabolic products, and diverse immune cells. With the vast armory provided by multifunctional nanomaterials, we aim to start from a holistic understanding of tumor-microenvironment interaction, and to eventually design individualized treatment suitable for tumors with different microenvironment phenotypes.

Biomembrane-based drug delivery platforms

Naturally-derived phospholipid bilayer structures, such as plasma membranes and secreted vesicles, play critical roles in many important biological activities, especially substance transport and signaling. Our interest lies particularly in their potential to be engineered into multifunctional nanostructures that combine artificially introduced functions with intriguing intrinsic biological activities. We apply biomembrane-based drug delivery platforms for the treatment of cancer, thrombosis, blood clotting disorders and inflammatory diseases. We are also particularly interested in the intrinsic immunostimulant properties of bacterial outer membrane vesicles and cytoplasmic membranes and their application in vaccines and immunotherapy.

Immunotherapy and nanovaccines

Dysfunction of the immune system plays an important role in many human diseases. Much of our research work has been dedicated to the application of multifunctional nanomaterials in immune modulation. One of our major interests is the enhanced delivery of tumor vaccines and immune normalizers for the restoration of both systemic and local anti-tumor immunity, with close collaboration with clinical institutions. We are also interested in nanoplatforms for immune modulation in virus infection, inflammation, autoimmune diseases and aging.