Projects

• Breakthrough Tissue and Organ Preservation and Transplantation

  • The work mechanistically explores the impact of RF heating of biocompatible high heating magnetic nanoparticles (Haynes) to rescue vitrified biomaterials from the vitrified state. We then attempt resuscitation of arteries and hearts and transplantation of arteries.
    
    

  • Funding source: NIH R01HL135046-01 (PI: John Bischof)

• Scaffold based vaccination strategy to target metastatic disease

  • The Azarin lab has recently utilized microporous polymer scaffolds to capture metastatic breast cancer cells in vivo. In addition, we have also developed a panel of novel focal ablation technologies that can be used to lyse captured cells.  We hypothesize that combining this scaffold technology with focal therapies will release tumor antigens from metastatic cancer cells that will promote robust CD8+ cytotoxic T-cell (CTL)-mediated destruction of cancer cells.

• • Funding source: Falk Trust (PI: Samira Azarin)

• Gold nanoparticle laser warming of cryopreserved zebrafish embryos

  • This application proposes to develop a standardized and effective means of freezing zebrafish embryos so banking of important developed research models can be reliably done and thus be better available to the scientific community.

• • Funding source: NIH R41 STTR  (PI: A. Saunder)

• Vastly improved influenza diagnostics through the development of a handheld thermal contrast reader

  • We aim to demonstrate the clinical and commercial potential of a low-cost, rapid, portable TCA reader system.  First, we will perform a validation study of desktop TCA reader on a prospective clinical cohort for influenza using PCR as gold or reference standard.  Second, we will build a portable TCA reader with cheaper components and more efficient algorithm

• • Funding source: NIH R41 NR017825-01A1  (UMN Subcontract)

• Optimal Rewarming Solutions for Cryopreserved Tissue Systems

  • Forge outcomes of Phase I tasks in to a single optimized formulation/ protocol using heart valves. In vivo assessment of graft viability and functional outcome by transplantation in a syngeneic rat orthotopic hind limb transplant model. Concluding with investigation of the impact of cryopreservation and rewarming on a small human VCA tissue.

• • Funding Source: DOD SBIR Phase II

• Long term banking of Vascularized Composite Grafts using ice-free cryopreservation by vitrification and nano-warming technologies

  • We will attempt nanowarming on a rat limb model in vitro and in vivo. In vivo assessment of graft viability and functional outcome by transplantation in a syngeneic rat orthotopic hind limb transplant model.

• • Funding Source: DOD Idea Award

• Enhanced irreversible electroporation

  • Combination of in vitro and in vivo models are used to explore enhancement by adjuvants, probe design and pulse timing to achieve enhanced IRE destruction of pancreatic and other cancers

• • Funding source: Boston Scientific - BSCI  (PI: John Bischof)

• RF excited magnetic nanoparticles to improve thawing of vitrified biomaterials

  • This work represents the first use of nanoparticle heating to address a challenge in the field of vitrification, or biopreservation. As part of this work, two scientific objectives will be pursued:

1. Characterize the heating and phase change behavior of mNP-laden cryoprotective solutions.

2. Investigate the impact of more uniform and rapid thaw on biological outcomes.

• Nanowarming Technology for Effective Rewarming of Vitrified Tissues

  • This work is in collaboration with Cell and Tissue Sciences in Charleston, SC.  We are translating new RF heating technology to scale up in their company to larger tissue constructs. In addition, we will use mesoporous silica coating to create a biocompatible iron oxide nanoparticle for this purpose.

• Improving Malaria Diagnostics using Thermal Contrast Reading of Lateral Flow Assays

1. Build and test a robust beta-prototype thermal contrast reader for enhanced diagnosis and quantification of malaria RDTs.

2. Determine the performance of the newly developed thermal contrast reader in specimens submitted to the Mayo Clinic Clinical Parasitology reference laboratory for malaria diagnostics evaluated with traditional diagnostics of blood smear and PCR.

• Electroporation for Selective Cardiac and Extracardiac Tissue Ablation: Novel Therapies for Disease Involving Electrically Active Tissue

  • Our central hypothesis is that DC electroporation can selectively ablate tissues in a non-thermal manner, minimizing collateral damage. The objectives are:

• • 1. Optimization of electroporation energy delivery parameters for selective, non-thermal ablation of ex vivo tissue preparations.

    2. Application of refined electroporation energy protocols to selectively ablate tissue by optimizing catheter design and functionality.

    3. Demonstration of non-thermal, selective tissue electroporation ablation in live canine studies with electrophysiological confirmation of functional effectiveness.