Mario Fabiilli

Our lab is part of the Basic Radiological Sciences Division within the University of Michigan Department of Radiology. We develop biomaterials that enable the controlled delivery of therapeutic molecules (e.g., proteins, DNA) using focused ultrasound. The use of focused ultrasound enables us to control the localization of a therapeutic agent in both space and time. Non-invasive ultrasound also enables active control of drug release and uptake, which is unlike conventional drug formulations or delivery techniques. Our goal is to improve the efficacy and mitigate toxicity of various classes of therapeutic agents while also enabling personalization of a drug therapy based on patient response.

Our research is highly interdisciplinary, with the following broad areas of interest:

• Understanding the acoustic mechanisms involved in ultrasound-based, drug delivery
• Identifying how acoustic mechanisms impact the structure and bioactivity of therapeutic payloads delivered via ultrasound
• Identifying the effects of therapeutic ultrasound at the cellular, tissue, and organism level
• Elucidating how highly focal delivery effects biological processes
• Designing highly biocompatible, ultrasound-responsive delivery vehicles

Our lab is located at 3225 Medical Sciences Building I, which is on the University of Michigan Medical School campus.