(588g) Harnessing Biomaterials to Study and Control Immune Function (INVITED SPEAKER)

Our research combines immunology and biomaterials to understand the interactions between synthetic materials and immune tissues, and to design more selective therapeutic vaccines for cancer and autoimmunity. This presentation will highlight our recent efforts toward these goals combining materials science and bioengineering tools, cell culture, animal models, and samples from human patients. In one example I will discuss new degradable polymer depots that could improve the selectivity of therapies for autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and diabetes by locally reprogramming the function of lymph nodes – tissues that coordinate immune function. A second area will present the lab's efforts to self-assemble immune signals into modular nanostructures. This rational design approach allows activation of programmable combinations and levels of immune pathways triggered. Modular control over these aspects of immune signaling could help improve the efficacy of vaccines for cancer and infectious disease, and enhance the efficiency of vaccine translation.