Research Projects

Extracellular Vesicles and Exosome Engineering

Exosomes are nanoscale, cell-derived vesicles that naturally shuttle proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids between cells. We engineer them into targeted, low-immunogenicity delivery vehicles for cancer therapeutics.

Endosomal Escape and Intracellular Delivery

Most vesicles that reach a target cell remain trapped in endosomes and are degraded before their cargo can act. We study how to route more of that cargo into the cytoplasm.

LAMC2–Integrin Signaling in Cancer

LAMC2, a subunit of laminin-332, is upregulated at the invasive front of several carcinomas and signals through integrin receptors to promote invasion.

KRAS-Driven Tumor Biology and Therapeutics

Oncogenic KRAS mutations drive the majority of pancreatic cancers and a substantial share of lung cancers. We study KRAS-dependent signaling and how to target it selectively.

Pancreatic Cancer and the Tumor Microenvironment

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is defined by a dense, immunosuppressive stroma that limits drug penetration. We model this microenvironment to understand resistance and identify vulnerabilities.

Tumor Targeting and Drug Delivery

Improving the fraction of a systemically administered therapeutic dose that reaches tumor tissue is central to nearly every project in the lab.

Molecular and Translational Cancer Therapeutics

We aim to move mechanistic findings toward therapeutic strategies that could ultimately be evaluated in the clinic.