6 sub-topics covering the mechanisms, design trade-offs and experimental methods that define this area of our work.
Engineered viruses used to deliver genetic material into cells.
Viral vectors remain the most efficient natural machines for crossing the cell membrane. Our work focuses on engineering the capsid surface to shift tropism toward target tissues while reducing recognition by pre-existing neutralising antibodies.
Synthetic or natural lipid formulations used to encapsulate and transport cargo into cells.
Ionizable lipid systems self-assemble around nucleic acid cargo and fuse with the endosomal membrane at the right pH. Fine control of pKa, helper-lipid ratio and PEG density governs both potency and tolerability.
Cationic or biodegradable polymers that bind nucleic acids, forming complexes that can enter cells.
Polyplexes offer a highly tunable backbone: molecular weight, charge density and degradable linkages all shape how tightly cargo is held and how readily it is released inside the cell.
Delivery systems that combine different components to exploit the advantages of each.
Hybrid systems pair the colloidal stability of a polymer core with the membrane activity of a lipid shell, or add a peptide domain for nuclear localisation — assembling one vehicle from complementary strengths.
Non-viral carriers made from materials like gold nanoparticles, silica, calcium phosphate, or magnetic nanoparticles.
Inorganic cores bring properties that soft materials cannot: surface plasmon resonance for imaging, magnetic responsiveness for targeting, and rigid geometry for precise ligand spacing.
Naturally secreted, nanosized vesicles released by cells that carry proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids.
EVs are the body's own delivery format. They cross biological barriers with low immunogenicity, which makes them attractive for repeated dosing — provided loading and isolation can be made reproducible.
A systematic screen of 42 ionizable lipid structures identifies a pKa window between 6.2 and 6.6 that maximises endosomal escape without compromising circulation stability.
Journal of Controlled Release · 2024Lyophilisation-compatible lipid shells protect self-amplifying RNA through reconstitution, removing ultra-cold logistics from vaccine distribution.
We co-develop nanocarrier and biosensing programs with pharma, biotech and academic groups — from target selection through GMP supply.