Mike Mitchell, PhD, Associate Professor of Bioengineering at Penn, was interviewed recently by the Philadelphia Inquirer about his cutting-edge research in lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), which are crucial for delivering mRNA into the body’s cells.
LNPs, for example, were instrumental in the development of COVID-19 vaccines and are now being tailored by Mitchell and his research team to develop innovative treatments for cancer and other diseases.
In the interview, Mitchell explains how LNPs are made, how he is designing them to target different organs, and what steps he is taking to improve their efficiency.
Mitchell also notes that in a recent study, he and his team successfully delivered mRNA to the lungs of mice. The team achieved this by creating a library LNPs composed of different lipids, and subsequently identified the formulation that selectively delivered its payload to the lungs. This type of organ targeting may have applications in cancer treatment, where it may be advantageous to target the specific organ where the tumor resides, while avoiding the healthy organs.
Read the full interview with Mitchell to learn more about his research here.