Postdoc Associate University of Florida College of Pharmacy Gainesville, Florida
In the recent years, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been recognized as the next-generation drug delivery platform due to their natural origin and transport properties, which lead to low toxicity and high biocompatibility. EVs can carry various classes of biotherapeutics, including small molecules, DNA, RNA, protein, protein-RNA complex etc. Despite the great clinical potential of drug loaded EV, current cargo loading strategies are immature with many limitations. Although genetic engineered cells could produce protein or nucleic acid enriched EVs, the loading capacility is very limited which requires large EV dosage to reach to a certain potency. Therefore, we developed a microfluidic droplet-based electroporation system optimal for EV cargo loading in high capacity and high throughput, with no limitation to EV producing cells or cargo types. This presentation will cover investigations of various biopharmaceutic cargos including DNA, RNA, proteins, CRISPR gene editing system and small molecules loaded into EVs for clinical translation.
Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, participant will be able to identify strategies for EV cargo loading.
Upon completion, participant will be able to list cargo types that can be loaded into EV.
Upon completion, participant will be able to demonstrate the advantages of EV as a drug delivery platform.