Engineering Smart Exosomes to
Target the Pancreatic Cancers

Pancreatic cancer resists treatment not because we lack drugs, but because we lack a way to deliver them. The Shi-He Liu Lab at the University of Toledo engineers exosomes — the body's own nanoscale delivery vehicles — to carry therapeutics directly to pancreatic tumor cells while slipping past the immune clearance that traps conventional nanoparticles. Our work spans extracellular vesicle engineering, tumor targeting, and translational models, with the goal of turning a natural delivery system into a precision cancer therapy.

Research

Therapies for pancreatic cancer are largely hindered by the lack of an effective delivery system. Applied nanotechnology has been revolutionized in the field of cancer therapeutics with immense potential owing to recent advancements in nanoparticles (NPs) based drug/small molecular delivery systems. Our lab is focusing on nanodelivery system, utilizing state-of-the art technologies to develop an innovative smart exosome nanocarrier that would be able to overcome obstacles currently preventing the effective application of nanodelivery technology in the field of cancer biology. The research advances a safe, efficient, and stable nanodelivery system that actively targets pancreatic cancer and minimalizes the clearance by mononuclear phagocytic system (MPS). Integration of previous studies in early detection and therapies for pancreatic cancer, Our lab is going to utilize the novel delivery system to deliver super sensitive diagnostic biomarker for early detection of pancreatic cancer; and deliver a combination of FDA approved drugs (simvastatin, digoxin and metformin) for BIRC5 targeted therapy for pancreatic cancer. The projects hold tremendous translational potential for cancer diagnosis and therapy.

Funding

Ongoing Research Support

R01CA276732, NCI/NIH

Engineering Exosome for Pancreatic Cancer Targeting Therapies
09/21/2023–08/31/2028
Role: PI

Ohio Cancer Research

Smart Exosomes for Pancreatic Cancer Targeted Therapy
2023–present
Role: PI

Completed funding support

SUNY Downstate Medical Center

Metastatin analogs for the treatment of metabolic diseases
07/05/2021–07/04/2024
Role: Co-I

UTCOMLS Dean's Award

Smart Exosomes Enable Active PDAC Targeting and Evading Mononuclear Phagocytotic System
07/01/2021–06/30/2022
Role: PI

The Hirshberg Foundation Award

Developing a Potent Synthetic Reporter System for Earlier Detection, Accurate Quantification and Precise Localization of Pancreatic Cancer
02/01/2015–01/31/2016
Role: PI