Rice and MD Anderson collaborative harnesses engineering experience for most cancers options

Led by Rice’s Gang Bao and MD Anderson’s Dr. Jeffrey Molldrem, the initiative goals to foster collaboration between the 2 establishments on basic and translational most cancers analysis, to develop new applied sciences for most cancers detection and remedy and to safe exterior funding in assist of additional analysis and coaching.

Envisioned as a hub for accelerating the journey from laboratory analysis to medical software, the Most cancers Bioengineering Collaborative leverages the 2 establishments’ complementary strengths to drive discovery and innovation in 5 key analysis areas:

● Cell therapies: Growing simpler cell-based immunotherapies, together with chimeric antigen receptor- and T cell receptor-based approaches.

● Nanotechnologies: Utilizing nanoparticles for focused most cancers detection and remedy.

● Most cancers vaccines:Incorporating superior biomaterials, artificial biology and nanoparticle supply techniques to develop therapeutic most cancers vaccines.

● Synthetic intelligence: Leveraging superior computing instruments for high-precision evaluation of samples to establish new targets and inform therapeutic design.

● Molecular imaging: Deploying superior molecular imaging methods to boost diagnostic and therapeutic instruments.

“There’s great potential in bringing collectively consultants in engineering and most cancers as a part of this targeted, collaborative framework that’s really distinctive, not solely owing to the complementary nature of the respective strengths but additionally as a result of that is the primary formal joint analysis initiative of its sort between the 2 establishments,” stated Bao, the division chair and Foyt Household Professor of Bioengineering, professor of chemistry, supplies science and nanoengineering and mechanical engineering and Most cancers Prevention and Analysis Institute of Texas scholar.

In assist of its objectives, the collaborative will launch new joint efforts, together with a seed grant program to facilitate collaboration between investigators at Rice and MD Anderson; a month-to-month seminar sequence targeted on most cancers bioengineering; annual retreats to showcase cutting-edge analysis and additional stimulate new collaborations; and internet hosting worldwide leaders in most cancers and bioengineering analysis.

From basic discoveries in most cancers science, tumor immunology and affected person care to progressive engineering advances in drug supply techniques, nanostructures and artificial biology, there’s nice potential for enabling cross-disciplinary collaboration to develop new applied sciences and approaches for detecting, monitoring and treating most cancers. Our purpose is to bridge the hole between bioengineering and most cancers analysis to create transformative options that considerably enhance affected person outcomes.”

Dr. Jeffrey Molldrem, chair of hematopoietic biology and malignancy at MD Anderson

Rice is dwelling to a top-ranking bioengineering division whose school stand on the forefront of analysis in biomaterials, nanotechnology, genome engineering, artificial biology, neuroengineering and computational modeling. MD Anderson ranks as one of many world’s most revered facilities targeted on most cancers affected person care, analysis, schooling and prevention. By increasing prior and present collaborations between the 2 establishments, the Most cancers Bioengineering Collaborative will work to speed up progressive options to handle unmet medical wants in most cancers prevention, detection and therapy.