The research in the Sui Lab mainly focuses on developing superior diagnostic and therapeutic techniques for biomedical purposes. We synthesize small organic molecules and biocompatible and biodegradable polymers with predesigned functions, and then employ them to fabricate smart nanosystems loaded with various agents via stimuli-responsive and self-immolating linkers, serving as diagnostic and/or therapeutic techniques for the treatment of human diseases including cancers and neurological disorders. Owing to the multidisciplinary nature of the research projects, students working in the Sui Lab will have the opportunity to learn a broad range of skills and expertise in organic synthesis, polymer chemistry, spectroscopy, multiphoton fluorescence, materials characterization, nanotechnology, electron microscopy, optical microscopy, biochemistry, molecular biology, cellular biology, animal studies, and biomedical engineering.
1. Targeted drug delivery
Smart nanosystems established on polymers or crosslinked micelles are being developed to serve as vehicles for delivering therapeutic agents to targeted cells and tissues in the body to achieve desired therapeutic effect. In the nanoarchitectures, the cargoes are attached to the skeleton via stimuli-responsive and self-immolative linkers. Thus, upon the trigger of predetermined external stimuli, the loaded agents will be released in a traceless manner with their original structures and functions, attaining controllable and even programmable targeted drug delivery.
2. Multiphoton fluorescent dyes and probes
Compared to one-photon excitation microscopy, multiphoton excitation microscopy has some advantages such as lower phototoxicity, reduced light scattering, and deeper tissue penetration, benefiting from the longer excitation wavelength. Accordingly, multiphoton excited fluorophores and fluorescent probes are more advantageous in biomedical imaging. We aim to synthesize novel multiphoton-absorbing, NIR-fluorescence-emitting fluorophores and then based on which to develop multiphoton fluorescent probes for biomedical applications.
3. Intracellular protein delivery
It is well known that proteins cannot enter cells by themselves because of the cell membrane impermeability, which severely hinders the biomedical applications of therapeutic proteins. We seek new methods to transport proteins into cells by means of protein-loaded nanosystems. In the nanostructures, the protein molecules are covalently conjugated via stimuli-responsive and self-immolative linkers, which allows for reversible release of the molecules with their native therapeutic effects unchanged in cells, leading to desired protein therapy.
4. Synergistic therapy
Synergistic therapy, combinatorial utilization of different therapeutic methods, has been proven more efficient than monotherapy as they can supplement each other in disease treatment. Besides working as delivering vehicles for therapeutic drugs and proteins, smart nanocarriers are able to deliver agents for other therapeutic modalities as well, for instance, photosensitive agents for photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT). Our goal herein is to integrate multiple therapeutic methods into one well-designed nanosystem to establish more powerful therapeutic techniques.
5. Theranostic nanosystems
Theranostics, a concept that combines therapeutics and diagnostics, is potential to play a significant role in the field of nanomedicine. In this context, the noninvasive NIR light is a perfect actuator with high temporal and spatial resolution. We make efforts to incorporate multiphoton fluorescence or photoacoustic imaging probes with the above-mentioned therapeutic approaches to create advanced theranostic nanosystems for noninvasive synergistic diagnosis and therapy.