Cancer remains a difficult to cure disease despite the use of aggressive chemotherapy and surgical procedures. Even though a great deal of resources has been invested in identifying new oncogenic pathways and discovering novel therapeutic molecules that specifically target these pathways, so far very few of these findings are translatable into meaningful clinical outcomes. This trend is particularly concerning in solid tumor (e.g. pancreatic, ovarian and oropharyngeal cancers) treatment as this class of malignancies do not only demonstrate additional drug resistance, their compact structures also render them inaccessible by anticancer drug molecules delivered using the conventional means (e.g. free drug solution administered intravenously). Our research seeks to solve this therapeutic inefficiency issue by exploring alternative strategies founded on the rapid developing field of nanomedicine. With the advance of nanomedicine, anticancer compounds can be delivered to solid tumors in a more efficient, specific and well-controlled manner. This added level of control over the precise fate of drug molecules in human body also allows strategic uses of multiple drugs to further improve the therapeutic efficiency of traditional or novel cancer drug treatment.

Research Interests

• Novel drug delivery system design and evaluation (Targeted delivery platforms, polymer-lipid hybrid nanoparticles: PLN, solid-lipid nanoparticles: SLN, cationic liposomes, biocompatible polymer implants)
• Anticancer therapy integrating molecular therapeutics (RNAi therapy) and conventional chemotherapy (cytotoxic drugs, chemosensitizing agents)
• Drug resistance in cancers
• Solid tumor therapy

Current Projects
• Co-ordinated multiple drug delivery approach for enhanced conventional chemotherapy.
• Delivery of therapeutic oligonucleotides to novel molecular targets.
• Optimization of penetration-enhancing technology in solid-tumor simulating systems.

Research Funding

• Breast Cancer Concept Award, Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP), Office of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP)
• Concept Award - FY2008 tobacco settlement formula funding, Pennsylvania CURE Tobacco Settlement Formula