Projects

The Research: Breaking the "Silent" Cycle

Professor Julian Thorne and his team at the Thorne Nanomedicine Lab are developing Intelligent Mechano-responsive Therapeutics (IMTs). Pancreatic cancer is notoriously difficult to treat because it creates a dense, pressurized physical barrier (the stroma) that repels traditional chemotherapy. Professor Thorne’s research utilizes gold-core SERS nanoparticles that are engineered to sense the specific mechanical pressure of a tumor. Once these particles encounter the unique "tug-of-war" environment of a pancreatic lesion, they trigger a localized release of medication, bypassing the tumor’s protective shield without harming healthy surrounding tissue.

The Research: Targeting the "Invisible" Cells

Dr. Elena Vance and her team at the Vance Institute for Cellular Dynamics are pioneering a breakthrough technique in epigenetic reprogramming. Current treatments often fail because "dormant" cancer cells hide from the immune system, only to resurface years later. Dr. Vance’s research focuses on a specific protein marker, SV-42, which acts as a cloaking device for pediatric leukemia cells. By neutralizing this protein, we can effectively "unmask" these cells, allowing the body’s own immune system to eliminate them before they can trigger a relapse