Collaborative and Service Projects

Our collaborative projects help to development individual TR&D projects, while service projects provide mature technology and materials to investigators. Collaborative projects (CPs) drive our TR&D research programs. They are a diverse set of collaborations spread across the US, including projects on both coasts and in Ohio and Indiana. The investigators span the field of immunoengineering – from basic science aspects of engineering to translational immunotherapy. Many of them interact with multiple TR&Ds. Our service projects are linked to a specific TR&D and our partners include both academic and biotech companies, such as NexImmune, Sanofi, and GSK.

Wet laboratory photograph with two laboratory benches on either side of the image. Two people, in white lab coats in the foreground looking at a notebook. Three people in white lab coats in the background doing work.

Collaborative Project #1: Unraveling the Genomic Determinants and Mechanisms Underlying Immunotherapy Efficacy and Resistance

Use of large-scale genomic analyses and functional dissection to determine what drives oncogenesis to develop improved diagnostic and therapeutic modalities for human cancers.

Collaborative Project #2: RNAi NPs as Immune Cell-Selective Innovative Therapeutics

Safe and efficient siRNA delivery to macrophages to enable new treatments for human diseases.

Collaborative Project #3: Use of HA-based MP aAPC for Expansion of T Cells from Melanoma Patients

Defining neo-antigens using established software algorithms.

Collaborative Project #4: Use of aAPC for Stimulation of Neoepitope-Specific CD4+ and CD8+ Cells from AML Patients

Identifying the antigen-specific responses to either shared AML tumor antigens or neoantigens.

Collaborative Project #5: Development of Polymeric Nanoparticle Biotechnology for Cell Programming

Replace viral gene therapy biotechnology tools with non-viral gene therapy biotechnology tools.

Collaborative Project #6: Tumor Targeted Drug Delivery Nanoplatform to Overcome Therapy Resistance Glioblastoma

Applying our large library of nanoparticles to the challenge of ex vivo stem cell engineering.

Collaborative Project #7: Immunological Reprograming of Glioblastomas

Delivery of mRNA to reprogram “cold” tumor immune microenvironment.

Collaborative Project #8: Novel Strategies for Immunological Reprogramming

Separating individual cells based on their molecular secretion profiles.

Collaborative Project #9: Novel Macrophage and Regulatory T cell Interactions that Promote the Pathogenesis of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Suppression of rAAV immunity to improve the efficacy of rAAV-microdystrophin gene therapy and enable repeat dosing.

Collaborative Project #10: Toward Safer Gene Therapy for Hemophilia A

Reducing the burden of anti-drug antibodies with IL-2-based immunocytokine.

Collaborative Project #11: Use of aAPC to Probe Epigenetic Control of T Cell Responses

Collaborative Project #12: Mannose Metabolism as a Regulator of Hepatic Stellate Cell Activaion and Fibrosis

Collaborative Project #13: Lung Transplant Clinical Trial Network (LT-CTN)

Collaborative Project #14: Regional Oncology Research Center

Collaborative Project #15: miRNA Reprograming of Cancer Stem Cells

Service Project #1: Optimization of Artificial Antigen Presenting Cells (aAPCs) in Pre-Clinical Models

Synthesize and validate artificial antigen presenting cells (aAPC) in pre-clinical AML models.

Service Project #2: Impact of Metabolic Modifiers on aAPC Stimulated T Cells

Metabolic programming of aAPC NP- and MP-stimulated T cells.

Service Project #3: Biomaterials-Based Germinal Center Niches for Understanding the B Cell Maturation and B Cell Receptor Signaling

Develop a biomaterials-based modular ex vivo organoid platform with the ability to generate high affinity, antigen specific antibodies ex vivo.

Service Project #4: Study of CMV-Specific Immune Responses in the Elderly

Elucidate the mechanisms underlying age-associated changes in T cells.

Service Project #5: Polymeric Nanomaterials for mRNA Delivery and Genetic Vaccines

Develop non-lipid nanoparticles for mRNA delivery, especially to immune cells.

Service Project #6: Polymer Nanoparticles for Delivery of Nucleic Acids to the Retina

Creation of non-viral agents for gene transfer to the retina.

Service Project #7: Lentivirus-like Particle Specific Delivery of Cas12 Ribonucleoprotein (RNP) to HIV Reservoir Cells in vivo for an HIV Cure

Use of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editors for HIV treatment.

Service Project #8: Cellular Mechanisms of Inflammation, Hemostasis, and Thrombosis

Elucidating the role of integrins in modulating T cell signaling.

Service Project #9: Defining the Induction and Maintenance of Myelin-Specific Tolerance in T Cells and B Cells Using Local Lymph Node Depots

Understand signals in the lymph node microenvironment to enable potent, myelin-specific immunotherapies that avoid immunosuppression.

Service Project #10: Nanoimmunotherapy for Chronic Immune-Mediated Diseases

Designing NPs that engage and expand both CD4+ and CD8+ Tregs in vivo as a novel treatment for the autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus.