Welcome to Nanomedicine Laboratory

 

Group picture in hallway with Dr. Habibi in center

The Nanomedicine lab is focused on integrating nanotechnology and biomaterials to develop new nanotherapeutics with higher efficiency compared to conventional therapeutic systems. Nanomedicine provides benefits such as improving biodistribution, controlling delivery of drug molecules, targeting to cells, reduced systemic toxicity and overall improving the drug’s efficacy. 

The field is a multidisciplinary area that applies nanotechnology, materials science, chemistry, and biotechnology, toward development of new modes of safer yet more effective therapeutic drugs for clinical practice. We work on creating the next generation of smart carriers that are responsive to external triggers and capable of targeting specific cells, with intracellular delivery.  Our lab focuses on developing nanostructures such as nanoparticles, nanofibers and hydrogels from biomaterials with self-assembling techniques. 

We study the supramolecular assembly of bioinspired molecules and investigate approaches to direct them into making smart structures. Inspired by Nature, we design molecular biofunctional nanomaterials, for the applications in biomedicine (e.g., cancer therapy, therapeutic molecular processes, and diagnostics), and other fundamental problems to address societal needs.

Poster showing self-assembling peptides, enzyme induced self-assembly for cancer treatment, drug delivery with self-assembling peptides