About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
MS&T24: Materials Science & Technology
|
| Symposium
|
Society for Biomaterials: Biomaterial Applications
|
| Presentation Title |
Mimicking Tumors as a S.M.A.R.T.E.R. Way to Treat Transplant Rejection and Inflammatory Diseases |
| Author(s) |
Steven Little |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Steven Little |
| Abstract Scope |
Next generation biomaterials based drug delivery systems will be capable of communicating with the biological microenvironment in ways that are similar to real cells and tissues. A primary way that this is accomplished in situ through secretion and spatiotemporal organization of soluble proteins that can lead to the homing and/or differentiation of specialized endogenous cells involved in regulation of the immune system. In contrast, current gold standard immunosuppressive treatments block or suppress the immune system locally or even globally. We have recently developed a platform called Sustained-release, Microparticle-based, Anti-Rejection Therapy through Enhancement of Regulatory T-cells (S.M.A.R.T.E.R.) Platform that takes advantage of the body’s own regulatory functions instead of suppressing the entire immune system. These formulations effectively mimic a strategy used by tumors to avoid immune rejection. These systems recruit Tregs toward the site of placement in vivo, with these recruited Tregs demonstrating significant promise for promoting local immunological homeostasis. |