Research

Our lab focuses on developing innovative therapies and understanding fundamental biological processes. We are developing nanotherapies for cardiovascular disease and uncovering new antiviral defense mechanisms within the placenta, both with the goal of improving human health.

    

Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease

Endothelial cell coverage of balloon
injured arteries treated with cell selective
Ad-p27-126Ts miRNA switch
En-Face Endothelial cell staining of artery
exhibiting restenosis after balloon injury

Our lab aimed to develop cell-selective nanotherapy to combat atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. This therapy specifically targets inflammatory and vascular smooth muscle cells, which are key players in plaque buildup, while carefully preserving healthy endothelial cells.

Initially, we employed an adenoviral vector, but our current focus is on a more advanced synthetic mRNA-based miRNA switch technology encapsulated in nanoparticles.

This innovative approach effectively delivers therapeutic payloads directly to damaged vessel areas, significantly reducing plaque formation and promoting vessel repair. We are actively enhancing this technology by combining it with siRNA to further suppress inflammation, in an effort to restore the endothelial barrier while inhibiting the progression of atherosclerotic plaque.

Transposable Elements and Antiviral Defense

Our lab has made a remarkable discovery about convergent evolution in hemochorial placentas. We identified a miRNA cluster, C19MC, in primates and its counterpart, C2MC, in rodents. These clusters contain transposable elements, Alu and B1 SINEs respectively, which are transcribed alongside miRNAs.
Challenging the previous understanding of these clusters, our research revealed that the transposable elements, rather than the miRNAs, are responsible for producing antiviral effects. By activating these clusters, we induced the production of interferon and interferon-stimulated genes, which effectively inhibit viral replication. This groundbreaking finding sheds new light on the antiviral defense mechanisms of the placenta.