Seminar series — Drug Delivery and Translational Medicine

Phase-separated molecular coacervates for intracellular delivery and cancer therapies

Department of Pharmacology & Pharmacy
 When:  

23 January 2025 (Thursday) at 10:00 am - 11:00 am

Speaker:  
Prof. Jiang Xia
 
Professor,
Department of Chemistry & School of Life Sciences,
The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Abstract:
A low-molecular-weight compound whose structure strikes a fine balance between hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity may form coacervates via liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) in the aqueous solution. These coacervates may encapsulate and convoy proteins and nucleic acids across the plasma membrane into the cell. We have devised a set of tools to release the cargo into the cytosol, utilizing the cell's redox potential, light, or chemical compounds, etc. The coacervate-delivery systems have been used in targeted protein degradation, immune cancer therapies, mRNA vaccines, etc.

Bio:
Prof. Jiang Xia is a professor in the Department of Chemistry and a professor by courtesy in the School of Life Sciences at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. He received Bachelor of Science (1995-1999) and Master of Science (1999-2002) from Nanjing University, Ph.D. from Stanford University (2002-2006), and postdoctoral training at Caltech and Howard Hughes Institute (2007-2008). He is also an Adjunct Professor at several universities and the founder or chief consultant of two companies. Prof. Xia became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry in 2021.

Details

 Venue:  

Boardroom,
1/F, Daniel & Mayce Yu Administration Wing,
LKS Faculty of Medicine,
21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam,
The University of Hong Kong

All are welcome