Andrew H
- Research Program Mentor
PhD candidate at University of Pennsylvania (UPenn)
Expertise
Biochemistry, biomaterials, nanochemistry, English literature
Bio
I am a Ph.D student in the Bioengineering Department at the University of Pennsylvania working on developing microfluidic devices to formulate new lipid nanoparticles for drug delivery. I hope to apply these new technologies to develop tissue-specific therapeutics. My experience in industry at companies like Moderna has inspired me to work on clinically viable technologies with the hopes of developing a biotech company to tackle pertinent problems in medicine. Outside of lab, I love to rock climb, write short stories and essays, and watch international cinema. However, first and foremost, I am an avid reader. Most commonly, I read fiction, history, philosophy, and literary/film criticism, yet I often find myself working through new textbooks or going down rabbit holes in the scientific literature to explore unfamiliar areas of mathematics, physics, and chemistry. I'm a passionate advocate for the generative creativity that emerges from engagement with the arts (especially as a scientist!), and I'm always happy to discuss books, movies, or creative endeavors!Project ideas
1. Beyond the COVID-19 Vaccine: Novel Developments in Lipid Nanoparticle Technology
While you may know lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) as the delivery platform for the COVID-19 vaccine, drug delivery scientists are finding new ways to develop LNP capabilities, including targeting of specific organs, allowing them to be inhaled instead of injected, and integrating more complex biological function to tackle a wider variety of disease states like cancer or cystic fibrosis. In this project, students will gain skills i) investigating primary literature, ii) understanding novel applications of chemistry and engineering, and iii) compiling information into a publishable review format. The final outcome of this project will be a review paper on future uses of lipid nanoparticles that highlights cutting-edge advancements in one of the most well-funded and exciting areas of current research.
2. Eradicating Disease: Understanding the Vaccine Pipeline and Delivery to Under-vaccinated Areas
Many diseases which have become near obsolete in the United States are still highly prevalent in areas which are medically underserved. Problems like necessary access to cold storage, cultural barriers to injectables, and lack of distribution plague several global areas. I will leverage my expertise in founding nonprofits and my experience in developing vaccines at Moderna and the Langer lab to help you i) learn about the vaccine development pipeline as it differs from standard drug delivery, ii) develop an understanding of ongoing research in eradicating diseases like polio from the global population, and iii) learn about organizations that you can work under or team up with to raise funds or contribute research toward developing vaccines for underfunded areas. At the end of this project, you will have created a compilation of your findings and will be primed with the knowledge to seek out opportunities for aiding in vaccine development for the eradication of diseases like polio and hepatitis B.
3. Conduct University-level Research in Drug Delivery
Are you interested in conducting research on drug delivery systems at the university level? While it can seem intimidating to get started in academic labs led by leading professors in their fields, this project will go through the most important factors for maximizing the chances of landing a position in an academic lab at local, highly ranked research institution. Through this project, the student will be introduced to i) techniques for applying to existing stipends for university-level research as a high schooler, ii) tips for identifying cogent areas of a professor’s research that a student could shadow under and possibly contribute to, iii) techniques useful in developing an effective research proposal in a given timeline, and iv) potential connections to renowned faculty in bioengineering, chemistry, and nanotechnology. The scope of this project may consist of three phases: i) identifying a specific research area in drug delivery and finding potential labs that the student can request to work under, ii) developing an understanding of the scientific literature in the desired field of drug discovery and in these labs in particular, and iii) crafting emails including short posters/presentations which demonstrate vested interest in a given laboratory and applying to work experiences as a high schooler interested in drug delivery research.
