The next CIBBR-sponsored fall 2019 seminar will be a collaboration with the department of Molecular, Cellular, and Biomedical Sciences and feature Dr. Mark Kester from University of Virginia and the nanoStar Institute.
Topic: Ceramide nanoLiposomes: The Road to the Clinic
When & Where: Friday, October 18, 12:10-1:00 p.m. in Rudman Hall G89
Dr. Kester will discuss the role of nanotechnology–based delivery systems to improve the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of pharmacological and molecular-based therapeutics. His presentation will focus on how nanotechnology can enable the use of ceramide, a pro-apoptotic lipid, for the treatment of solid and non-solid tumors. He will also highlight strategies that have led to the translation of the ceramide nanoliposome to the clinic.
Mark Kester is a Professor of Pharmacology and the Director of the nanoSTAR Institute of the University of Virginia. He was previously the G. Thomas Passananti Professor of Pharmacology at Penn State Hershey College of Medicine and the inaugural Director of the Penn State Center for NanoMedicine and Materials. Dr. Kester’s research interests include the design, characterization and validation of nanotechnologies for targeted drug delivery. His laboratory has evaluated nanoliposomes, nanodendrimers and nanocolloids as effective drug delivery vehicles for pharmacological and molecular agents. Recent work focuses on nontoxic nanoscale systemic delivery systems for hydrophobic pro-apoptotic lipids as well as siRNAs that target mutated tumorigenic proteins.
Dr. Kester has consulted with, or founded, several companies that have the license to his nano”Solutions”. In addition, he is a co-author of Integrated Pharmacology, published by Elsevier, Ltd., which was recognized as a "highly commended textbook" by the British Medical Society.
