Medicine at the Nano Scale

The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded for the discovery of microRNA, the 2023 prize for pioneering mRNA vaccines, the 2020 prize for making precise genome editing possible using CRISPR-Cas9, and the 2006 prize for the discovery of RNA interference. These discoveries revolutionized modern medicine and opened a new avenue for treating diseases by correcting errors at the gene level. But do you know what is the common theme between these 4 disruptive technologies??? The answer is that the application of these breakthrough technologies in human health is only possible with the use of nanotechnology. Nanomedicine, or the use of nanotechnology to treat or diagnose diseases, is a multidisciplinary science that combines engineering, chemistry, and biomedical concepts all together. In this seminar, I will talk about the pivotal role nanomedicine has played in enabling RNA drugs and vaccines for human use. We will also travel inside the human body and see how extremely tiny capsules, known as nanoparticles, can carry genomic medicines precisely to disease targets.

Our speaker Saed Abbasi is a research scientist at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He obtained his PhD degree in Nanomedicine from Japan. He is trained as a pharmacist and completed his bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy from Jordan. Saed is interested in innovating new technologies that overcome biological barriers and deliver genomic medicines effectively to target organs and tissues. He previously discovered new nanoparticles for delivering mRNA, siRNA, microRNA, and CRISPR-Cas9 to treat cancer, brain diseases, COVID-19, and liver disorders.

When: Friday, November 22 · 7 - 8:30pm EST

Where: This is a hybrid event. Please join us in the lab (101 N Haven St Baltimore, MD 21224) or online (Zoom link will be sent out a couple of hours before the event)

Fee: Donation

Please ensure you register on Eventbrite to reserve your seat: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/medicine-at-the-nano-scale-tickets-1056351187839?aff=ebdsoporgprofile&_gl=11b3ry4n_up*MQ