The research interests of our laboratory are at the interface of nanotechnology, biomaterials, and biomedical applications. We investigate nanosystems for drug/gene delivery to improve therapeutic outcome in diseases like cancer, stroke, and cardiovascular conditions. We also study the basic pathways of intracellular trafficking of nanoparticles to understand the parameters that are critical for targeting of therapeutics at cellular level. Our specific current research projects are- CNS drug delivery of anti-HIV drugs, antioxidant enzyme therapy in cerebral stroke, site-specific drug/gene therapy for inhibition of restenosis, and anticancer drug/gene and radiotherapy in breast and prostate cancers. We are also investigating novel biomagnetic nanoparticles for targeted drug delivery and imaging applications for early detection of pathologies. Further, we are developing a novel composition of porous microparticles that can be used as a scaffold for three dimensional growth of cancer cells. Our goal is to develop a tumor-like structure in vitro that can be used as a model for evaluating anticancer agents.

Recent Publications

1. Davda J and Labhasetwar V. Characterization of nanoparticle uptake by endothelial cells, Int. J. Pharm. 233, 51-59, 2002. (Drug Discovery Gateway featured article, Feb 5, 2004)

2. Sahoo S. K, Panyam J, Prabha S, Labhasetwar V. Residual polyvinyl alcohol associated with poly (D,L lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles affects their physical and cellular uptake properties, J. Controlled Release, 82,105-114, 2002.

3. Panyam J, Zhou WZ, Prabha S, Sahoo S.K , Labhasetwar V. Rapid endo-lysomal escape of poly (D, L-lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles: implication for drug and gene delivery. FASEB J. 16, 1217-1226, 2002. (Full text) (Listed on NCI web site under NCI Alliance for Nanotechnology in Cancer)

4. Prabha, S., Zhou, W.Z., Panyam, J., Labhasetwar, V. Size-dependency of nanoparticle-mediated gene transfection: Studies with fractionated nanoparticles. Int. J. Pharm. 244 (1-2), 105-115, 2002.

5. Panyam, J. and Labhasetwar, V. Dynamics of endocytosis and exocytosis of poly (DL-lactide-co-glycolide) nanoparticles in vascular smooth muscle cells. Pharm Res, 20(2), 210-18, 2003.

6. Panyam J, Labhasetwar V. Biodegradable nanoparticles for drug and gene delivery to cells and tissue, Adv. Drug Del. Rev. 55, 329-347, 2003. (Invited Review, Listed as top-six most popular ScienceDirect articles in Pharmaceutical Sciences in 2003, ScienceDirect Listed as Top 4th article published in Adv. Drug Del. Rev.)

7. Qaddoumi MG, Gukasyan HJ, Davda J, Labhasetwar V, Kim KJ, Lee VHL. Clathrin and caveolin-1 expression in primary pigmented rabbit conjunctival epithelial cells: Role in PLGA nanoparticle endocytosis, Molecular Vision 9, 559-568, 2003.

8. Sahoo S, Labhasetwar V. Nanotech approaches to drug delivery and imaging. Drug Discovery Today 8, 1112-1120, 2003. (Invited Review, Listed as top-three most down loaded article by Drug Discovery during Sept 2003 to Sept 2004)

9. Prabha S, Labhasetwar V. Critical determinants in PLGA/PLA nanoparticle-mediated gene delivery, Pharm. Res. 21, 354-364, 2004. (Listed on NCI web site under NCI Alliance for Nanotechnology in Cancer)

10. Panyam J, and Labhasetwar V. Sustained Cytoplasmic Delivery of Drugs with Intracellular Receptors Using Biodegradable Nanoparticles, Molecular Pharmaceutics 1,1,77-84, 2004. (Featured in Modern Drug Discovery, March 2004)

11. Panyam J, Labhasetwar V. Targeting intracellular targets, Current Drug Delivery 1 (3), 235-247, 2004. (Invited Review)

12. Satturwar PM, Fulzele SV, Panyam J, Mandaogade PM, Mundhada DR, Gogate BB, Labhasetwar V, Dorle AK. Synthesis and evaluation of rosin derivatives for pharmaceutical coating. Int. J. Pharm. 270(1-2), 27-36, 2004.

13. Qaddoumi MG, Hideo Ueda, Johnny Yang, Davda J, Labhasetwar V, Lee VHL. The characteristics and mechanisms of uptake of PLGA nanoparticles in rabbit conjunctival epithelial cell layers, Pharm. Res. 21, 641-648, 2004. (Featured on the cover page of the issue)

14. Ma W, Yu H, Wang Q, Jin H, Solheim J, Labhasetwar V. A novel approach for cancer immunotherapy: tumor cells with anchored superantigen SEA generate effective antitumor immunity, J. Clin. Immunology 24, 294-301, 2004.

15. Panyam J, Williams D, Dash A, Leslie-Pelecky D, Labhasetwar V: Solid-state solubility of drug in PLGA/PLA polymers influences encapsulation and release of hydrophobic drugs from nanoparticles. J. Pharm. Sci. 93, 1804-1814, 2004.

16. Prabha S, Labhasetwar V: Nanoparticle-mediated wt-p53 gene delivery results in sustained antiproliferative activity in breast cancer cells, Mol. Pharm. 1(3), 211-219, 2004. (Featured in Chemical & Engineering News in May 2004 under Nanofocus)

17. Sahoo SK, Ma W, Labhasetwar V. Efficacy of transferrin-conjugated paclitaxel-loaded nanoparticles in a murine model of prostate cancer.  Int. J. Cancer Res. 112, 335-340, 2004. (Listed on NCI web site under NCI Alliance for Nanotechnology in Cancer)

18. Sahoo SK, Panda AK, Labhasetwar V. Characterization of porous PLGA/PLA microparticles as a scaffold for three dimensional growth of breast cancer cells. Biomacromolecules, 6, 1132-1139, 2005.

19. Davda J, Labhasetwar V. Sustained activity of vascular endothelial growth factor following encapsulation in nanoparticles. J. Biomed. Nanotechnology. 1,74-82, 2005. (Invited article for the inaugural issue)

20. Vasir JK, Reddy MK, Labhasetwar V. Nanosystems in drug targeting: opportunities and challenges. Current Nanoscience, 1(1), 45-62, 2005. (Invited review for the inaugural issue)

21. Morales MA, Jain TK, Labhasetwar V, Leslie-Pelecky DL. Magnetic studies of iron oxide nanoparticles coated with oleic acid and Pluronic^® block copolymer. J. Appl. Phys., 97 (10Q901), 1-3, 2005.

22. Jain TK, Morales MA, Sahoo SK, Leslie-Pelecky DL, Labhasetwar V. Ion-oxide nanoparticles for sustained delivery of anticancer agents. Mol. Pharm., 2, 194-205, 2005.

23. Sahoo SK, Labhasetwar V. Enhanced antiproliferative activity of transferrin-conjugated paclitaxel-loaded nanoparticles is mediated via sustained intracellular drug retention. Mol. Pharm., 2, 373-383, 2005.

24. Vasir JK, Labhasetwar V. Targeted drug delivery in cancer therapy. Technology in Cancer Research and Treatment. 4, 363-374, 2005.

25. Labhasetwar V. Nanotechnology for Drug/Gene Therapy: the importance of understanding molecular mechanisms of delivery, Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 16:674–680, 2005.

26. Labhasetwar V. What is next for nanotechnology, Editorial, Journal of Biomedical Nanotechnology, 1, 373-374, 2005

27. Vasir JK, Labhasetwar V. Polymeric nanoparticles for gene delivery, Expert Opinion on Drug Delivery, 2006 May;3(3):325-344.