Research

Current

Chemistry Laboratory for Imaging Sciences
 John S. Dunn Foundation (Li)                                                                        
07/01/2013 – 06/30/2019

This grant supports research activities in the Division of Diagnostic Imaging.  Activities focus on improved patient management through development of new therapeutic materials and delivery procedures  the treatment of .

Interdisciplinary Translational Pre/Postdoctoral Program in Cancer Nanotechnology
NIH/NCI
T32CA196561 (Sokolov)                                                                              
09/01/2015 – 08/31/2020

Major goals: To enhance the education of the next generation of young scientists in biomedical imaging research using nanotechnologies by combining training in fundamental aspects of   nanotechnology with clinical questions faced in cancer imaging and therapy.

Role: Mentor

Induction of Tumor Immunity by Combining Nanoparticle-Based   Checkpoint Inhibition for Ovarian Cancer
UT MD Anderson
Institutional Research Grant (Li)                                                                   
03/01/2017 – 02/28/2019

Major goals: This is a seed grant to explore  idea of  photothermolysis to achieve robust tumor-specific T-cell response and efficient antitumor immunity in preclinical models of ovarian cancer.

Image-guided EphB4 Agonist-based Nanotherapy for Treatment of High-grade Ovarian Cancer
UT MD Anderson SPORE in Ovarian Cancer – DRP Award
P50CA217685 (Li, Wen)                                                                               
09/22/2017 – 08/31/2019

Major goals: To develop long-circulating nanoparticles chemically conjugated with BIDEN-AP on their surface and determine the preclinical potential of both BIDEN-AP and nano-BIDEN-AP targeting bi-directional EphB4/EFNB2 signaling in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC).

Overcome Resistance to Immune Checkpoint Blockade in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma by Enhancing Antigen Presentation
Emerson Collective Cancer Research Fund (Li)                                          
10/01/2018 – 09/30/2020

Major goals: To develop integrated solutions that can simultaneously enhance presentation of tumor-associated antigens and alleviate immunosuppression in PDAC.

Novel Regulation and Function of TAK1 in Mutant Kra-driv
Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT)
RP170090 (Chiao)                                                                                         
08/31/2017 – 08/30/2020

Major goals: To study TAK1-dependent and -independent signaling pathways.

Role: Collaborator

Completed

Multifunctional Hollow Gold Nanospheres for Concurrent Photothermal—Chemotherapy
NIH/NCI
R44CA196025 (Li and Wang)                                                                       
04/01/2015 – 03/31/2018

Major goals: To synthesize and characterize high-quality DOX@PEG-HAuNS in large scale and under Good laboratory Practice (GLP) production conditions, 2) To determine the pharmacokinetics (PK) and biodistribution of DOX@PEG-HAuNS after intra-arterial injection in rats, and to demonstrate the feasibility of concurrent PTA and DOX chemotherapy in relevant animal liver cancer models.

Characterizing and Targeting Replication Stress Response Defects in Breast Cancer
USAMRMC
W81XWH-10-1-0558 (Lin)                                                                            
03/01/2010 – 02/28/2016

Major goals: To validate RSR genes, develop an RSR network model, and characterize the functions of novel RSR genes, and to identify drugs that target RSR-defective cells.

Role: Collaborator

Simultaneous Ablation of Tumor Cells and Tumor Stromal Cells to Enhance Antitumor against Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Gillson Longenbaugh Foundation (Li and Chow)                                         
06/01/2016 – 05/31/2018

Major goals: To determine the tumor uptake of CPA and PTX after a single dose and multiple doses of M-CPA/PTX in PDAC-bearing KPC mice, and pharmacokinetics CPA and PTX after single intravenous injection of M-CPA/PTX in strain-matched C57BL/6 mice, and to formulate, characterize, and test the antitumor activity of polymeric micellar nano-carriers containing CPA and other stromal modulation agents.

Selective Photothermal Ablation of HCC with Renal Clearable [64Cu]CuS Nanodots
GE-UT MD Anderson
Center for Advanced Biomedical Imaging (Li)                                              
07/01/2016 – 06/30/2018

Major goals: The overall goals are to test the working hypothesis that intraarterial injection of CuS NDs and DOX with Lipiodol will increase tumor uptake of nanodots, and that photothermal ablation of HCC in rabbits mediated by intraarterially injected CuS NDs will induce enhanced antitumor activity when combined with chemotherapy.

Targeted Delivery of Cyclopamine by Biodegradable Cross-Linked Polymeric Micelles for Radio-Chemotherapy of Pancreatic Cancer
Skip Viragh Foundation (Li)                                                                           
07/01/2012 – 06/30/2018

Major goals: To test the hypothesis that cyclopamine-loaded, core-crosslinked polymeric micelles will effectively disrupt desmoplastic stroma tissue and sensitize pancreatic cancer to radiotherapy.