Dr. Juntao Luo, Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, SUNY Upstate Cancer
Research Institute, SUNY Upstate Medical University
ABSTRACT
We have recently developed a novel PEG-block-oligocholic acid based micelles system for efficient anticancer drug delivery. This nanocarrier has several optimized properties: (1) biocompatible, stealth and stable drug-encapsulated nanoformulations with high drug loading capacity, take advantage of the enhanced permeability and retention effect (EPR) to target tumor sites; (2) the modular design and step-wise synthesis allows introducing functional groups and building blocks at the specific site of telodendrimers to optimize the drug loading properities; (3) the optimized size (20-100 nm) of the nanocarriers lowers liver and lung uptake while ensuring the deep penetration of nanotherapeutics into the tumor mass; (4) the decoration with tumor cell specific binding ligand or antibodies to concentrate the nanocarrier in tumor sites and enhance anti-tumor effects. The paclitaxel loaded telodendrimer micellar formulation exhibits superior toxicity and efficacy profile in xenograft models when compared to Taxol® and Abraxane®. It was well tolerated and exhibited significant anticancer effects in the canine clinic trials Phase I and II.
An IND has been filed with FDA for evaluation of this paclitaxel nanoformulaiton in human cancer patients in clinic trial.
BIOGRAPHY
EDUCATION
1998-2003 Ph.D in Polymer Science, Institute of Polymer Chemistry & Physics, Nankai
University, Tianjin, China
1994-1998 B.Sc in Chemistry. Department of chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
EMPLOYMENT AND RESEARCH POSITIONS
5. 2011- Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, SUNY Upstate Cancer
2010-2011
Research Institute, SUNY Upstate Medical University
Assistant Research Chemist (research faculty), Department of Biochemistry and
Molecular Medicine, Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of California,
Davis
Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Cancer Center, University of
California, Davis
2006-2008: Postdoctoral Researcher with Dr. Kit S. Lam, Division of Hematology &
Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine Cancer Center, University of
California, Davis
2003-2006: Postdoctoral Researcher with Dr. Julian Zhu, Department of Chemistry,
University of Montreal, Canada
AREAS OF INTERESTS AND SPECIALIZATION
Nanomedicine, Drug delivery, Drug discovery, cancer imaging and cancer treatment; Gene delivery and gene therapy, protein drug delivery, Identification of cancer specific targeting ligands for targeting drug delivery in Cancer treatment; Design and synthesis of polymeric biomaterials for biomedical engineering and disease treatment; Biomaterials in tissue engineering;
Combinatorial Chemistry; High throughput screening; Protein and small molecule microarrays.