Research

Our research focuses on advancing macromolecule drug delivery technology by developing new materials. We are actively working in the following application areas:

1. Immunomodulation to potentiate chemotherapy. We are developing targeted therapeutics to tumor-infiltrating leukocytes to modulate immune response to tumors (in collaboration with Elaine Raines, UW Pathology).
2. Early detection of esophageal cancer. We are developing targeted nanoparticles for fluorescent endoscopy applications (in collaboration with Joo Ha Hwang, UW Gastroenterology; William Grady, UW Gastroenterology and FHCRC; and Lih Lin, UW Electrical Engineering).
3. Polymeric coatings for oncolytic adenovirus. We are synthesizing self-assembling materials for reversible shielding of oncolytic adenoviruses to reduce their immunogenicity and hepatotoxicity (in collaboration with Andre Lieber and Dmitry Shayakhmetov, UW Medical Genetics).
4. Polymeric micelles for drug delivery. Current chemotherapies generally have a narrow therapeutic range. We are encapsulating drugs in polymeric micelles to change their biodistribution, thereby reducing toxicity.

1. Chan, L.W., Wang, Y-N., Lin, L.Y., Upton, M.P., Hwang, J.H., and Pun, S.H. (2013) Synthesis and characterization of anti-EGFR fluorescent nanoparticles for optical molecular imaging. Bioconjugate Chem, accepted.
2. Kim, T.H., Mount, C.W., Dulken, B.W., Ramos, J., Fu, C.J., Khant, H.A., Chiu, W., Gombotz, W., Pun, S.H. (2012) Filamentous, mixed micelles of triblock copolymers enhance tumor localization of indocyanine green in a murine xenograft model. Mol Pharm, 9:135-143.
3. Wang, C.K., Chan, L.W., Johnson, R.N., Chu, D.S.H., Shi, J., Schellinger, J.G., Lieber, A., and Pun, S.H. (2011) The transduction of Coxsackie and Adenovirus Receptor-negative cells and protection against neutralizing antibodies by HPMA-co-oligolysine copolymer-coated adenovirus. Biomaterials, 32:9536-9545.

1. Gene delivery to the brain. We are synthesizing multifunctional polymers for targeted nucleic acid delivery to neural progenitor cells in the subventricular zone of the brain (in collaboration with Philip Horner, UW Neurosurgery)
2. Targeted drug delivery to glioma cells. We are developing targeted polymers to deliver peptides and siRNA to glioma and glioblastoma cells for brain cancer treatment (in collaboration with Bob Rostomily, UW Neurosurgery).
3. Drug delivery for spinal cord injury. We are developing injectable materials for localized drug delivery after spinal cord injury (in collaboration with Philip Horner, UW Neurosurgery).

1. Wei, H., Schellinger, J.G., Chu, D.S.H., and Pun, S.H. (2012) Neuron-targeted copolymers with sheddable shielding blocks synthesized using a reducible, RAFT-ATRP double-head agent. J Am Chem Soc, 134:16554-16557.
2. Chu, D.S.H., Johnson, R.N. and Pun, S.H. (2012) Cathepsin B-sensitive polymers for compartment-specific degradation and nucleic acid release. J Control Release, 157:445-454.
3. Schellinger, J.G., Pahang, J.A., Johnson, R.N., Chu, D.S.H., Sellers, D.L., Maris, D.O., Convertine, A.J., Stayton, P.S., Horner, P.J., and Pun, S.H. (2012) Melittin-grafted HPMA-oligolysine based copolymers for improved gene delivery. Biomaterials, 34:2318-2326.

1. Engineering monocyte-derived cells for anticalcification (in collaboration with Cecilia Giachelli, UW Bioengineering, and Tony Blau, UW Hematology)
2. Identifying targeting ligands for sub-populations of activated macrophages (in collaboration with Elaine Raines, UW Pathology)

1. Kacherovsky, N., Harkey, M.A., Blau, C.A., Giachelli, C.M., and Pun, S.H. (2012) Combination of Sleeping Beauty transposition and Chemically Induced Dimerization selection for robust production of engineered cells. Nucleic Acids Res, 40(11):e85.