2019 Featured Research: Biomolecular and Biomedical

Posted: 

 

red blood cells

Characterization of the intrinsic magnetization of human red blood cells

Discoveries: 

  • A subset of machrophages have significant magnetic susceptibility
  • Red blood cells have significant distributions in hemoglobin concentration
  • Red blood cells from sickle cell anemia patients have a unique magnetic signature 
  • Rapid new approaches to separate 5 nm superparamagnetic nanoparticles.

Impact:

Exploitation of the magnetic susceptibility of red blood cells could potentially lead to new diagnostic potential and new blood separation technology.

  • Understanding hemoglobin distribution concentrations in RBCs could lead to a point of care instrument to detect anemia.
  • The unique magnetic signature of red blood cells from sickle cell anemia patients might assist in diagnosis.

Characterization of the intrinsic magnetization of human cancer cells

Discovery:  With a molecular/cancer biologist, the Chalmers lab demonstrated that not only are human Glioblastoma cells (a type of brain cancer) intrinsically magnetic, but there is a significant difference between the “stem” and “non-stem” cancer cells.

Research Highlights:

  • Publications:
    • Analytical Chemistry, 92(2):1956-1962 (2020)
    • ​Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 116(7):1644-1655 (2019)
    • Cytometry, part A. 95(5):478-487 (2019)
    • Separation and Purification TechnologyVol. 248, 117012 (2020)
  • Funding:
    • NIH

Breakthrough gene therapy: injectable, programmable nanocarriers for custom medicine

Innovation:  Jim Lee's gene-therapy method transforms human cells into mass producers of tiny nano-sized particles containing genetic material with the potential to reverse disease processes, kill cancer cells or regenerate organs, or silence or activate specific genes.

Impact:  Potential application in therapeutics that surmounts bio-barriers: Deliverable to any target within the body, including safely accessing the brain, without provoking an immune response.
 


Unprecedented early-stage cancer detection: Novel EV diagnostics in liquid biopsy

Innovation:  Lee, in conjunction with Eduardo Reáttegui, is developing a minimally invasive liquid biopsy that could transform cancer diagnosis and treatment.   

Impact:  Provides an accurate and efficient analysis of molecular content within individual extracellular vesicles (EVs) from bodily fluids, creating a faster and pain-free biopsy process.

Research Highlights:



 

Development of a general platform to purify apo-proteins

Innovation: Andre Palmer developed a general platform to purify apo-proteins (i.e. proteins with no attached co-factors or prosthetic groups). His approach induces partial holo-protein unfolding under mild conditions to release co-factors/prosthetic groups, and subsequent tangential flow filtration to remove the co-factors/prosthetic groups from the apo-protein. The platform is simple to implement, cost-effective, and highly scalable.

Impact: Applied this technology to purify the apo-protein apo-hemoglobin from the oxygen storage and transport protein hemoglobin. Apo-hemoglobin can function as a heme scavenger during states of hemolysis, and could be used as a drug delivery vehicle to selectively deliver drugs to CD163+ monocytes and macrophages.

Research Highlights:

  • Publications:
    •  Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Jan;117(1):125-145. doi: 10.1002/bit.27193 (2020). Cover feature.
    • Biotechnology Progress, Apr 29:e3010. doi: 10.1002/btpr.3010 (2020).

    • American Journal of Physiology Heart and Circulatory Physiology, May 1;318(5):H1296-H1307. doi: 10.1152/ajpheart.00136 (2020).

  • Funding:
    • NIH, DOD

  • Recognition:
    • Named Fenburr Ohio Eminent Scholar in Nanotechnology: Molecular Self-Assembly


 

Novel approach for isolation and enrichment of extracellular vesicles

Innovation: Eduardo Reátegui's approach to isolate and enrich extracellular vesicles (EVs) uses a combination of ultrafiltration and immunomagnetic separation to achieve high levels of specificity and sensitivity when compared to other commercially available methods for EV purification.

Impact:  Reátegui's EV purification technique works with either small or large amounts of different types of biofluids (e.g., serum, urine) and removes up to 99.9 % of contaminants present in a sample.

Characterization of Molecular Cargo of Single Extracellular Vesicles

Innovation: A new in-situ imaging method that enables quantification of protein and RNA cargo in single vesicles. The technology is a combination of advanced surface chemistry, molecular biology, and high resolution microscopy to achieve single vesicle sensitivity and specificity.

Impact:  Reátegui is exploring applications for the early diagnosis of cancer with the analysis of biofluids in which EVs are present. The method enables him to quantify therapeutic cargo in engineering EVs to determine efficiency of loading and efficacy after injection in in vivo models. It also aids in predicting the response of patients to immunotherapy by the analysis of EVs present in their biofluids.

Research Highlights:

  • Publication:
    • Journal of Extracellular Vesicles, e60544 (2020)

  • Patents:
    • Two patents issued
  • Funding:
    • NIH

  • Recognition:
    • Interview at NIH describing his single EV project, December 2019:  Youtube Video
    • Virginia Tech Genetics, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Program Seminar Title: “New Technologies for Bulk and In Situ Molecular Analysis of Extracellular Vesicles as Cancer Biomarkers and Mediators of Cell Communication.”



 

Development of ocular drug delivery techniques to treat macular degeneration

Innovation: Katelyn Swindle-Reilly developed a drug delivery method to treat macular degeneration.

Impact: Potential to decrease frequency of injections for patients from monthly to 1-2 times per year, and prevent blindness.

Development of vitreous substitutes

Innovation: Swindle-Reilly also developed vitreous substitutes that mimic the biochemical and physical properties of the native tissue.

Impact: This has the potential to reduce uncomfortable postoperative patient positioning after vitrectomy and to reduce incidence of cataract after surgery.

Research Highlights:

  • Publications:
    • Macromolecular Bioscience, 1900305 (2019)
    • Journal of Controlled ReleaseVolume 320, doi.org/10.1016/S0168-3659(20)30153-X, (2020). Cover feature.

  • Patents:
    • One patent issued and 4 patents filed in 2019.
  • Recognition:
    • Society for Biomaterials: Program Chair, Ophthalmic Biomaterials, 2019-2021

    • ARVO Women’s Leadership Development Program, 2019-2020

    • 2018 OSU Early Career Innovator of the Year: Named Finalist, April 2019


 

Smart release hydrogels delivering nutrients to crops in response to metabolic cues

Innovation:  Working in concert with soil scientist Dr. Allison Bennett, Jessica Winter is developing hydrogel patches and particles consistent with traditional agricultural practices that will change the way nutrients are delivered. The materials are designed to support fungi that have symbiotic relationships with crop plants, reducing the need for agricultural fertilizers. These materials deliver nutrients to fungi in response to chemicals that they release.

Impact:  This approach reduces the need for fertilizer and reduces water use, supporting a sustainable agricultural economy.


 

Development of DNA nanomachines

Innovation:  Winter and collaborator Dr. Carlos Castro developed DNA nanomachines to store and deliver energy at the nanoscale.

Impact:  Winter and her team developed nano-hinges made from DNA and gold nanoparticles. The machines were activated by heating and enabled storage and release of energy at the nanoscale. Such machines may provide future thermoresponsive materials, as well as power nanofactories and enable new nanomanufacturing schemes. 

Research Highlights:

  • Publication:
  • Patents
    • One issued
  • Funding:
    • Center for Applied Plant Sciences (CAPS), Ohio State University seed grant
    • CERTAIN grant, Sustainability Institute
    • DOE
  • Recognition:
    • Vice Chair, Chemical Technology Operating Council, AICHE
    • Jacobus van t’Hoff Lecture, Delft Process Technology Institute, 2019


 

Disruptive technology for purification of recombinant proteins

Innovation:  David Wood has developed a platform for the purification of recombinant proteins based on a self-cleaving affinity tag and founded a company, Protein Capture Science LLC, based on the technology. The technology was largely developed under a DARPA-funded project to develop a laptop-sized "pharmacy in a briefcase," which would deliver a single dose of virtually any protein therapeutic (including insulin) on-site in less than 24 hours. The process could be used in a range of applications, from pure research to being used as a key platform in biopharmaceutical development and manufacuring. The method does not require refrigeration or the large equipment currently required.

Impact:  Protein Capture Science will develop, manufacture and directly distribute the technology to a wide variety of potential users. These highly useful biotechnologies are exciting to many people in industry because the technology could dramatically reduce production costs and accelerate biopharmaceutical development from bench to clinic, benefiting patients in need of new therapies. 

Research Highlights:

  • Patents:
    • Two patents issued in 2019
  • Funding:
    • DARPA

  • Recognition:
    • Featured expert, GEN (Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News),  "Microbial Culture Systems for Bioprocessing," May 9, 2019.
Category: Research

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS

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Jeffrey Chalmers
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Jim Lee
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Andre Palmer
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Eduardo Reátegui
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Katelyn Swindle-Reilly
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Jessica Winter
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David Wood