###Developing antibody-loaded biomaterials for cancer immunotherapy
Project ID: 2228bd1122 (You will need this ID for your application)
Research Theme: Healthcare Technologies
UCL Lead department: School of Pharmacy
Lead Supervisor: Gareth Williams
Project Summary:
Monoclonal antibodies targeting immune checkpoint inhibitors are showing promise in clinical trials for a variety of solid tumours, but are often associated with large production cost and serious immune-related adverse events. A potential way to overcome these issues is to provide a more controlled and precisely localised release of these agents directly into the tumour site. Several biomaterial-assisted immunotherapy delivery systems have been proposed but the field remains largely unexplored. The delicate structures of protein therapeutics pose multiple challenges in the design of suitable drug delivery platforms. Many biomaterial fabrication processes may negatively impact the stability of the protein being formulated. Typical conventional encapsulation methods, such as spray-drying or hot melt extrusion, require harsh conditions (e.g. application of heat or prolonged contact with solvents) that can potentially cause protein misfolding or aggregation, and consequent loss of activity.
Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) processes are material fabrication techniques in which a polymer solution is dispersed into a fine jet under the influence of an electric field. EHD offer a simple way of manufacturing drug-loaded implantable scaffolds and injectable particles, the properties of which can be tuned according to the therapeutic needs. In cancer care, EHD materials have been mostly discussed in the context of localised delivery of small molecule drugs. However, our recent advancements in protein EHD could potentially widen the application of EHD processes into the cancer immunotherapy field.
This PhD project therefore aims to develop antibody-loaded biomaterials for cancer immunotherapy using EHD processes. Thanks to the multi-disciplinary nature of this research, the student will benefit from learning numerous laboratory techniques - from biomaterial fabrication optimisation and physicochemical characterization to advanced cellular experiments. If successful, the resulting materials will be tested in vivo through a collaboration with University of North Carolina.