Designing nano-shuttles for crossing the blood-brain barrier
This project aims to develop a novel glioblastoma model integrated into the blood-brain barrier in microfluidic devices and demonstrate how these systems can be used to evaluate BBB-penetrating nano-shuttles to deliver drugs to the brain to treat brain tumors. To achieve this goal, we will use cutting-edge stem cell technologies to develop a human cell-based, physiologically relevant glioblastoma BBB chip model that recapitulates tissue function and microenvironment as in vivo, eliminating many of the consequences observed in animal models and allowing us to achieve better translational outcomes for the clinic. We will search for peptides that target highly expressed proteins on brain endothelia and exhibit transcytosis activity. Designing new nano-shuttle systems coated with peptides that penetrate the BBB, we will deliver drugs to the brain at effective therapeutic concentrations while avoiding unwanted side effects.
