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 Research in Dr. Szoka's laboratory concentrates on understanding the physico-chemical
properties of phospholipid bilayers, the biophysical factors involved in
biomembrane fusion and how phospholipid bilayer vesicles (liposomes), can be
used in pharmaceutical applications.
Dr. Szoka's laboratory devises synthetic systems to deliver macromolecules
across membranes, and employs such systems to target macromolecules to cells and
organs. They use liposomes as model membranes and currently focus on how
peptides, designed to mimic fusion sequences in viral envelope proteins, induce
membrane fusion.
Dr. Szoka's group does a substantial amount of chemical synthesis concerning
novel peptides and lipids. He uses these materials in experiments to devise
therapies for genetic diseases and cancer. His group is currently targeting
liposome-encapsulated drugs to treat lung and breast cancer in an animal tumor
model. This work requires the identification of suitable molecular targets on
the surface of tumor cells and the synthesis of appropriate ligands that can
interact with the cell surface receptor.
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