Three core research programs in drug delivery, space medicine, and smart medical devices.
Our laboratory develops innovative polymer drug delivery platforms and next-generation smart medical devices targeting diseases in both terrestrial and space environments.
Cancer vaccines for overcoming immunotherapy resistance, organelle-targeting technology for mitochondrial re-engineering, and intelligent polymer nanoparticles for sequential release of gene therapeutics and chemotherapeutics in the tumor microenvironment.
Utilizing space-accelerated aging environments for discovering anti-aging targets and screening therapeutics for neurodegenerative and muscular diseases. Developing countermeasures against space radiation and microgravity-induced cellular dysfunction.
Designing implantable medical devices with stimuli-responsive polymer coatings that release drugs on-demand in response to ultrasound, magnetic fields, or light. Targeting liver, biliary, and pancreatic cancers with image-guided energy delivery probes.
Our drug delivery research focuses on three interconnected themes. First, we design cancer vaccines targeting immunotherapy resistance mechanisms, discovering novel biomarkers through big data-driven AI analysis of genomic and transcriptomic data from hepatocellular carcinoma patients.
Second, we develop organelle-targeting technologies that modulate mitochondrial function — either normalizing metabolism in aging cells (re-engineering) or inducing apoptosis in cancer cells. Third, we construct intelligent polymer nanoparticles responsive to the tumor microenvironment (TME) that sequentially release gene therapeutics and chemotherapeutics, combining mRNA delivery platforms with photo-responsive drug release systems.
Leveraging the accelerated aging environment of space, we investigate molecular biological changes in neural and muscular tissues under space radiation and microgravity conditions. This unique platform enables rapid screening of anti-aging drug candidates and identification of therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative and muscular degenerative diseases on Earth.
Our research extends to developing countermeasure drugs against space radiation effects and creating healthcare solutions for astronauts, bridging the gap between space medicine and terrestrial clinical applications in age-related disease treatment.
We design implantable medical devices featuring stimuli-responsive polymer coatings that release drugs on-demand only when triggered by external energy sources — ultrasound, magnetic fields, or light. These smart devices target liver, biliary tract, and pancreatic cancers through image-guided probes capable of precise drug delivery at the lesion site.
Additionally, we develop injectable polymer formulations for direct administration under imaging guidance, enabling minimally invasive local therapy. Our approach optimizes energy delivery systems to maximize therapeutic efficacy while minimizing systemic side effects.