Dr. Joerg Lahann and graduate research assistant Albert Chang are developing nanoparticles that stick to the mouth’s mucosal layer, delivering chemopreventive drugs directly to high-risk areas. This controlled, targeted approach aims to reduce oral cancer risk while sparing healthy tissue.

Dr. Carlos Aguilar and his team demonstrate how ECM hydrogels can transform the healing of severe muscle injuries. Using advanced spatial transcriptomics, they show the treatment limits harmful immune and scar-forming cells while promoting muscle progenitors—shifting repair away from fibrosis and toward true regeneration.

Dr. Jae-Won Shin and colleagues have developed a microgel coating for mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) incorporating a “self” peptide, helping them evade innate immune clearance. The coating softens immune interactions, improving cell survivability in vivo. The innovation has potential to enhance cell therapies by prolonging persistence of administered cells.

A recent study, led in part by Dr. Anna Schwendeman, introduces a refined in vitro release test (IVRT) for Onivyde®, the liposomal irinotecan therapy for pancreatic cancer. The work leverages the Agilent NanoDis® system, blending tangential flow filtration with a standard dissolution setup, to better distinguish released (“free”) drug from encapsulated drug in liposomes.

New study by Dr. Guizhi Zhu unveils a breakthrough in flu prevention: small circular RNA (circRNA) vaccines, delivered directly into the lungs via lipid nanoparticles, show high stability and robust protection in preclinical models. A promising path toward better flu immunization!

Exciting new research by researchers, including Dr. Nicholas Kotov, describes a breakthrough in chiroptical materials development. They have engineered achiral perovskite nanofilms atop chiral “hedgehog” micro-particles (CHIPs) offering a simple yet powerful strategy for next-gen chiral photonics, sensors, and optical devices.

Researchers at the University of Michigan, led by Dr. Deepak Nagrath, have achieved a breakthrough in understanding how glioblastoma (GBM) tumors fuel themselves. Backed by a new NIH grant, this work is now advancing toward a clinical trial at Michigan Medicine—opening the door to novel dietary strategies for treating one of the most devastating brain cancers.

A brand-new study published in Advanced Materials Technologies by Dr. Sunitha Nagrath’s lab introduces the CellExoChip, a cutting-edge microfluidic platform designed to elucidate how cancer cells interact with exosomes, revealing mechanisms that may drive metastasis.

“On behalf of the MBioFAR committee and BICC (Biosciences Initiative Coordinating Committee) I can say we loved reading about your work, and we hope you use the money to continue to innovate and lead your fields in new directions,” – Liz Speliotes

The Biointerfaces Institute is pleased to share the results of this year’s COMPASS Challenge! The COMPASS Challenge is a collaborative, interdisciplinary competition designed to empower researchers to tackle complex, real-world problems at the interface of biology and engineering.

This year’s participants demonstrated exceptional creativity, teamwork, and scientific rigor. We congratulate the winning team and all who contributed to this dynamic and forward-thinking initiative.