Research

Chemistry Laboratory for Imaging Sciences
Li (PI)                                                              07/01/13 – 6/30/17
John S. Dunn Foundation
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 for the treatment of cancer.
Role: Principal Investigator

Targeted Delivery of Cyclopamine by Biodegradable Cross-Linked Polymeric Micelles for Radio-Chemotherapy of Pancreatic Cancer
Li (PI)                                                            07/01/12 – 06/30/17
Skip Viragh Foundation
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.
Role: Principal Investigator

Multifunctional Hollow Gold Nanospheres for Concurrent Photothermal—Chemotherapy
1R44CA196025-01                                            Li and Wang (PIs)                                     05/01/15 − 04/30/17
NIH/NCI
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 intraarterial injection in rats, and to demonstrate the feasibility of concurrent PTA and DOX chemotherapy in relevant animal liver cancer models.
Role: Co-Principal Investigator

Selective Photothermal Ablation of HCC with Renal Clearable [64Cu]CuS Nanodots
Li (PI)                                                            07/01/16 – 06/30/18
Center for Advanced Biomedical Imaging (CABI)
GE-MD Anderson Cancer Center
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 mediated by intraarterially injected CuS NDs will induce enhanced antitumor activity when combined with chemotherapy.
Role: Principal Investigator

Interdisciplinary Translational Pre/Postdoctoral Program in Cancer Nanotechnology
1T32CA196561-01                                             Sokolov (PI)                                               09/01/15 – 08/31/20
NIH/NCI
The major goal is to enhance the education of the next generation of young scientists in biomedical imaging research using nanotechnologies by combining training in fundamental aspects of nanoscience and nanotechnology with clinical questions faced in cancer imaging and therapy.
Role: Mentor

Simultaneous Ablation of Tumor Cells and Tumor Stromal Cells to Enhance Antitumor against Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Li and Chow (PI)                                       07/01/16 – 06/30/17
Gillson Longenbaugh Foundation Subcontract
The major goal is 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 gemcitabine.
Role:  Principal Investigator at MD Anderson