BME Seminar Series

Content

Endogenous Targeted Delivery of Nucleic Acid Therapeutics
with Mansoor Amiji, PhD
Northeastern University

Nucleic acid therapeutics hold tremendous promise for treating diseases, but their clinical translation is limited by delivery challenges. This presentation explores innovative endogenous targeting strategies that harness the body's natural mechanisms to deliver siRNA, mRNA, and other nucleic acids to specific tissues and cells, moving beyond traditional passive and active targeting approaches. We demonstrate three key strategies: (1) Protein corona-mediated delivery, where engineered lipid nanoparticle surface chemistries selectively recruit plasma proteins like vitronectin to direct siRNA to tumors; (2) Cellular delivery using GATA6+ peritoneal macrophages that naturally migrate to injury sites, serving as living vehicles for therapeutic cargo; and (3) Extracellular vesicle-mediated delivery of miR-Let7b to overcome ovarian cancer drug resistance while promoting therapeutic bystander effects. These endogenous delivery approaches offer enhanced biocompatibility, reduced immunogenicity, and improved therapeutic outcomes by working with the body's natural systems. By leveraging biological targeting mechanisms, we aim to accelerate the commercial and clinical translation of nucleic acid therapeutics across diverse disease applications.

About Mansoor Amiji: Dr. Mansoor M. Amiji serves as a University Distinguished Professor, Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Professor of Chemical Engineering at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. He earned his BS in Pharmacy from Northeastern University in 1988 and his PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Purdue University in 1992. At Northeastern, Dr. Amiji educates both undergraduate and graduate students while leading cutting-edge research. His work focuses on developing biocompatible materials from natural and synthetic polymers, designing targeted drug and gene delivery systems for cancer and infectious diseases, and advancing nanotechnology applications for medical diagnosis, imaging, and therapeutics. Dr. Amiji has edited 14 books, contributed over 70 book chapters, and authored more than 400 peer-reviewed articles. Recognized as a Highly Cited Researcher (top 1%) in Pharmacology and Toxicology, he holds a Google H-index of 112. His accolades include the Nano Science and Technology Institute’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Nanotechnology, Microtechnology, and Biotechnology, the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) Meritorious Manuscript Award, and the Controlled Release Society’s (CRS) Nagai Award. Dr. Amiji is an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), AAPS, and CRS.

LSL N610 or via Zoom (meeting ID: 413 545 2017)