Research interest

Nanomedicine

In recent years, advances in nanotechnology have made it possible to develop nanomedicines for biomedical applications. Nanomedicine, an offshoot of nanotechnology, refers to highly specific, molecular-scale medical intervention for treating diseases or repairing damaged tissues. In our research group, much effort has been devoted to developing a novel type of polymeric nanomedicine for therapy and diagnosis of obstinate diseases such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and atherosclerosis. Also, we are trying to prepare biocompatible polymers that can be used as the constituent of the biomedical devices. In an attempt to obtain the synergistic effects, our group is currently collaborating with many world-famous research groups regarding biomaterials, drug delivery system, and molecular imaging. In recent years, our research interests have been focused on stimuli-responsive nanomedicine, Immunotherapeutic nanomedicine, engineered exosomes, and living biotherapeutics.

on-going projects

Stimuli-sensitive nanomedicine

  • Microenvironment-responsive nanoparticles for site-specific drug delivery
  • Ultrasound-responsive hybrid nanoparticles for sonodynamic therapy
  • Self-immolative polymer conjugates for pulsed drug delivery
  • Polymeric gasotransmitters as the activatable nanovasodilators
  • Chemiluminescence nanomaterials for imaging-guided therapy

Immunotherapeutic nanomedicine

  • Antibody-drug conjugates/polymer-drug conjugates for inhibiting cancer-derived exosomes
  • Immunostimulatory nanoparticles for sonoimmunotherapy
  • Polymeric conjugate for targeted foreignization of cancer
  • Surface-engineered antibodies for enhanced immune-checkpoint therapy
  • Self-assembled nanocomplexes for macrophage polarization

Engineered extracellular vesicles

  • Stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles for treatments of inflammatory diseases
  • Modulation of extracellular vesicles  for cancer immunotherapy
  • Surface-engineered extracellular vesicles for skin anti-aging
  • Maintenance of exosome stability in long-term storage using biocompatible polymers

Engineered living biotherapeutics

  • Modulation of bacterial retention for reprogramming gut microbiome
  • Probiotics-derived extracellular vesicles for treating inflammatory diseases
  • Bacteria-targeted nanomedicine for anti-aging treatment