The Moon Laboratory is interested in the development of therapeutics and diagnostics at the interface of immunology and engineering. Specifically, we are developing new drug delivery systems that can enhance targeting of antigen and adjuvant to lymphoid organs, thereby manipulating immune functions in the context of cancer, infectious diseases, and autoimmunity. Our translational research focused on immunoengineering utilizes tools of nanotechnology, biomaterials, drug delivery, tissue engineering, and advanced in vitro/in vivo high-throughput methods to detect and improve immune functions. One thrust of our research is the development of a nanoparticle vaccine that can induce anti-tumoral cellular immune responses for cancer immunotherapy. The second thrust in the lab focuses on the synthesis of novel biomaterials for mucosal immunization against infectious pathogens, including HIV.