NSF Graduate Research Fellow, Doctoral Candidate

Biomedical Engineering

Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

University of Texas at Austin (Austin, TX)

Krishnendu Roy

Pathological Stimuli Responsive Microgels Encapsulating Chitosan-siRNA Nanoparticles for Asthma Immunotherapy

It is well appreciated that delivery of proteins, peptides and nucleic acids through the pulmonary route could provide significant improvement in patient compliance and reduce toxicity, especially for drugs that are targeted to interrupt certain aberrant cellular pathways in disease. However, respirable fractions and non-specific delivery of potent drugs limits clinical applicability. Although significant progress has been made in pulmonary delivery, new strategies, rationally designed to address the individual bottlenecks, could tremendously aid in the ultimate success of pulmonary therapeutics for asthmatic inflammation. The overall goal of my research is to create a unique nanoparticle-in-microparticle formulation comprising of peptide-crosslinked microgel-carriers encapsulating polysaccharide-siRNA nanoparticles. These inhalable carriers are designed for: (i) efficient delivery to airway epithelial cells by increased deposition due to in-situ swelling, (ii) avoidance of phagocytosis by alveolar macrophages due to microparticle size and stealth properties, (iii) pathophysiologically-triggered release of therapeutic nanoparticles from microgels; specifically, degradation of peptide crosslinks by asthmatically-up regulated MMP-9 at site of inflammation, and (iv) enhanced cell-uptake and endosomal escape of therapeutic siRNA by delivery with a new class of functionalized-chitosan nanoparticles. Microgels are synthesized using a novel Michael addition in (w/o) emulsion system to minimize reactivity, degradation, or denaturation of encapsulated drugs. The proposed therapeutic siRNA serves to reduce the Th2 cell response in order to reduce long-term leukocte infiltration and airway inflammation.

2010 Visiting Doctoral Research Assistant, Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine and Pharmacobiology (PI: Jeffrey A. Hubbell), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

2006 Intern, R&D Combination Products, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc., Jacksonville, FL

2000-2003 Certified Nursing Assistant, Mease Countryside Hospital Emergency Room

2010 Lillian C. Ho Memorial Endowment Scholarship

2009 Women in Engineering Program Champion Award

2007-2010 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

2007 Outstanding Gator Engineering 4-Year Scholar

2007-2011 THRUST Fellowship

2007-2010 Bruton Fellowship

2004-2005 EPA Air Pollution Training Scholarship

2004-2006 NSF Particle Engineering Research Center Scholar