medical nanotechnology phd

MEMP PhD Program

Hst’s memp phd program, is this program a good fit for me.

HST’s Medical Engineering and Medical Physics (MEMP) PhD program offers a unique curriculum for engineers and scientists who want to impact patient care by developing innovations to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease. We're committed to welcoming applicants from a wide range of communities, backgrounds, and experiences.

How is HST’s MEMP PhD program different from other PhD programs?

As a MEMP student, you’ll choose one of 11 technical concentrations and design an individualized curriculum to ground yourself in the foundations of that discipline. You’ll study medical sciences alongside MD students and become fluent in the language and culture of medicine through structured clinical experiences. You’ll select a research project from among laboratories at MIT, Harvard, affiliated hospitals and research institutes , then tackle important questions through the multiple lenses of your technical discipline and your medical training. As a result, you will learn how to ask better questions, identify promising research areas, and translate research findings into real-world medical practice.

What degree will I earn?

You’ll earn a PhD awarded by MIT or by the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

What can I do with this degree?

Lead pioneering efforts that translate technical work into innovations that improve human health and shape the future of medicine.

How long will it take me to earn a PhD in HST’s MEMP program?

Similar to other PhD programs in MIT's School of Engineering, the average time-to-degree for MEMP PhD students is less than six years.

What are the degree requirements?

Science / engineering.

Choose one of the established concentration areas and select four courses from the approved list for the chosen area. Current MEMP concentration areas are:

• Aeronautics & Astronautics
• Biological Engineering
• Brain & Cognitive Sciences
• Chemical Engineering
• Computer Science
• Electrical Engineering
• Materials Science & Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Nuclear Engineering

Harvard MEMPs fulfill Basic Science/Engineering Concentration and Qualifying Exam through their collaborating department (SEAS or Biophysics).

Biomedical Sciences and Clinical Requirements

Biomedical sciences core.

• HST030 or HST034: Human Pathology
• HST160: Genetics in Modern Medicine
• HST090: Cardiovascular Pathophysiology

Restricted Electives - two full courses required*

• HST010: Human Anatomy
• HST020: Musculoskeletal Pathophysiology*
• HST100: Respiratory Pathophysiology**
• HST110: Renal Pathophysiology**
• HST130: Introduction to Neuroscience
• HST162: Molecular Diagnostics and Bioinformatics*
•  HST164: Principles of Biomedical Imaging*
• HST175: Cellular & Molecular Immunology

*  May combine two half-courses to count as one full course **Must choose at least one of HST100, HST110

Clinical Core

• HST201: Intro. to Clinical Medicine I and HST202: Intro. to Clinical Medicine II
• HST207: Intro. to Clinical Medicine

PhD Thesis Guide

Letter of intent #1:.

Research advisor and topic. Due by April 30 of 2nd year.

Letter of Intent #2:

Tentative thesis committee. Due by April 30 of 3rd year.

Thesis proposal:

Defended before thesis committee. Due by April 30 of 4th year.

Final Thesis:

Public defense and submission of final thesis document.

Harvard MEMPs must an electronic copy of the final thesis including the signed cover sheet. Harvard MEMPs should not register for HST.ThG.

Qualifying Exam

TQE: Technical qualification based on performance in four concentration area courses and Pathology

OQE: Oral examination to evaluate ability to integrate information from diverse sources into a coherent research proposal and to defend that proposal

Professional Skills

Hst500: frontiers in (bio)medical engineering and physics.

Required spring of first year

HST590: Biomedical Engineering Seminar

Required fall semester of first year. Minimum of four semesters required; one on responsible conduct of research and three electives. Topics rotate.

Required for all MEMP students. (Biophysics students may substitute MedSci 300 for HST590 term on responsible conduct of research.)

Professional Perspectives 

Required once during PhD enrollment 

What can I expect?

You’ll begin by choosing a concentration in a classical discipline of engineering or physical science. During your first two years in HST, you’ll complete a series of courses to learn the fundamentals of your chosen area.

In parallel, you’ll become conversant in the biomedical sciences through preclinical coursework in pathology and pathophysiology, learning side-by-side with HST MD students.

With that foundation, you’ll engage in truly immersive clinical experiences, gaining a hands-on understanding of clinical care, medical decision-making, and the role of technology in medical practice. These experiences will help you become fluent in the language and culture of medicine and gain a first-hand understanding of the opportunities for — and constraints on — applying scientific and technological innovations in health care.

You’ll also take part in two seminar classes that help you to integrate science and engineering with medicine, while developing your professional skills. Then you’ll design an individualized professional perspectives experience that allows you to explore career paths in an area of your choice:  academia, medicine, industry, entrepreneurship, or the public sector.

A two-stage qualifying examination tests your proficiency in your concentration area, your skill at integrating information from diverse sources into a coherent research proposal, and your ability to defend that research proposal in an oral presentation.

Finally, as the culmination of your training, you’ll investigate an important problem at the intersection of science, technology, and medicine through an individualized thesis research project, with opportunities to be mentored by faculty in laboratories at MIT, Harvard, and affiliated teaching hospitals.

Interested in applying? Learn about the application process here.

HST MEMP grad Grissel Cervantes-Jaramillo’s road to a PhD began in Cuba and wound through Florida

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PhD in Nanoscience for Medicine and the Environment

• Admission Board
• Training and research

Application deadline: Dec 14, 2022 at 11:59 PM (Expired)

2nd NRRP Call for Applications - Further PhD positions

• Call for applications
• PhD Programme Table

Enrolment: From Feb 06, 2023 to Feb 16, 2023 - On www.studenti.unibo.it, PhD candidates awarding NRRP positions should use NRRP forms only

Doctoral programme start date: Mar 01, 2023

Application deadline: Aug 02, 2022 at 11:59 PM (Expired)

NRRP Call for Applications

Enrolment: From Sep 21, 2022 to Sep 29, 2022 - On www.studenti.unibo.it download NRRP forms only

Doctoral programme start date: Nov 01, 2022

Application deadline: Jun 09, 2022 at 11:59 PM (Expired)

Call for Applications

Positions: More information in the PhD Programme Table

Enrolment: From Jul 21, 2022 to Jul 31, 2022

The PhD programme in Nanoscience for Medicine and the Environment supports research projects dealing with the relation between Nanoscience and Health, considering both “human health and environmental health”. Two different thematic areas are planned:

1. Nanoscience for Medicine

• Interactions between nanostructures and biomolecules/cellular structures
• Drug delivery systems
• Nanostructures, solid pharmaceutical hybrids formulations, crystalline polymorphism of active pharmaceutical ingredients
• Nanostructures and nanoformulations for high bioavailability administration of nutrients and bioactive molecules
• Use of artificial molecular machines in biomimetic systems
• Development of theranostic nanoplatforms
• Design of nanostructurated materials for the development of (multimodal) imaging contrast agent
• Nanostructured organic semiconductors for sensor applications
• Nanobiosensing for “point-of-care” and personalized medicine
• Nanostructures for regenerative medicine
• Cellular nanoengineering
• Nanotoxycology and technologies for “safety by design”

2. Nanoscience for the Environment

• Photo and/or electrocatalysts for water and air remediation or for the production of energy using “solar fuels”
• Nanobiosensing for enviromental monitoring
• Nanostructured photo and/or electrocatalysts for the reduction of CO2 in high energy density products
• Development of innovative synthesis for the production of nanocatalysts active in the sustainable transformation of biomass into chemicals
• Nanostructured platforms for the development of membranes for “water remediation”
• New materials for the conversion and storage of solar energy using molecuar machines
• Nanoecotoxycology
• Life cycle analysis (LCA) of the production and use of nanomaterials

NRRP Call - Further PhD Positions Appointed by RD 952/2022 Prot. n. 0357333 of 02/12/2022

NRPP Call Admission Board Appointed by RD 1103/2022 Prot. n. 0162873 of 17/07/2022

* The following shall take part in the work of the Examination Board as expert members for positions linked to specific research topics:

• Congcong Shang - Ferrari SpA
• Giuseppe Barreca - Chemessentia Srl
• Martina Bruschi - Bioniks Srl

Call for Application Admission Board Appointed by RD 830/2022 Prot. n. 0127511 of 30/05/2022

The PhD course "Nanoscience for Medicine and the Environment" aims to build a large area of advanced teaching and research centered on nanosciences and on their applications in medicine and the environment.The doctorate has its fundamental objective in the development of a multidisciplinary approach to the nanosciences, at the interface between chemistry, physics, biology, medicine and environmental science. This PhD has, as its primary objective, that of crossing the “jargon” barriers in order to construct cultural connections between the various disciplines, integrating scientific communities with very different methodologies and approaches, with the awareness that innovations in this area can only take place in a fully interdisciplinary context. The integration of the diverse scientific areas will thus provide the opportunity to design and develop common research projects thanks to multidisciplinary / interdisciplinary approaches.

he type of training offered in the proposed PhD is training through research. The students will take part in training courses based on frontal lessons although the most relevant part of the training will be attained by working on specific experimental research projects with basic and / or applied objectives also in collaboration with public or private international research institutions. The "hands on" training in these areas will allow the doctoral student to experience directly the planning of experiments, collecting and processing data, as well as the drafting of reports and publications. The training will also include science communication, "scientific writing", exploitation of intellectual property and training in scientific project writing in order to gain skill to apply for public and private research grants. The PhD student research activity will rely on collaborative projects between the various components of the PhD to attain a high interaction and integration of the research while maintaining a high level of specialization The overall objective of the training of PhD students will therefore be the development of analytical and experimental expertise and the acquisition of skills, which will be at the same time - broad and interdisciplinary across the whole field of nanosciences - specific about issues concerning specific nanoscience applications. In this way, students will be able to develop an interdisciplinary / multidisciplinary and non-sectoral approach to the chemical, physical, medical, and agricultural sciences.

The PhD course guarantees a training characterized by multidisciplinarity and interdisciplinarity, offering basic teaching in chemistry, physics, biology, medicine and enviromental science. The PhD in “Nanoscience for Medicine and the Environment" will provide basic teachings about nanoscience to which all students are expected to attend and a series of more applicative courses, dealing with specific topics related to the two thematic areas ( 1. Nanoscience for Medicine, 2. Nanoscience for the Environment). During the three-year PhD period each student must acquire course credits attending the courses offered in the doctoral program. PhD students are expected to participate to seminars and workshops, organized by the Departments or by the Institute of Advanced Studies. Finally, the PhD students must attend to at least one school and at national and international conferences.

The doctoral course in "Nanoscience for Medicine and the Environment", guarantees a research environment of the highest level open to international collaboration. The internationalization of the training will be favoured by operating at various levels:

• TEACHING - All teaching and evaluation tests will be carried out in English - The PhD student will be required to attend seminars delivered by international visiting professors and researchers.
• RESEARCH - The active participation of PhD students in international research projects and other scientific initiatives of choice will be favoured - Strong support will be provided to ensure training in the preparation and management of european ad extra-european international research projects.
• MOBILITY - All PhD students will be expected to spend at least three months in a foreign lab characterized by scientific excellence - All PhD students will be expected to participate actively in international schools and meetings giving talks and presenting posters on their research.
• ACTRATTIVITY - The PhD course will be advertised internationally in order to attract good candidates holding master degrees granted by foreign universities - The possibility of co-tutelle in collaboration with foreign institutions is envisaged. - Participation in international mobility programmes (e.g. Programma Erasmus Mundus, Scienze Senza Frontiere, China Scholarship Council) will be explored in order to obtain further financial support for PhD fellowships.

The products and the expected results of the research activity of PhD students are those recognized by the international scientific community. In particular, at least two products related to participation in national and international conferences or schools (e.g., posters, oral presentations, publication of reports, etc.) are expected during the three-year PhD period for each student. The achievement of this goal will be assessed during the periodical evaluations of the PhD students’ activity. It is also expected that during the PhD period, and in any case within one year after the conclusion of the doctorate, each student has produced - as author or co-author - at least two publications (or possibly patents) related to the research activity.

Dario Braga

Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna

Via Zamboni 33 Bologna (BO)

[email protected]

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College, graduate school, and postdoctoral opportunities.

As progress for nanotechnology research and development picks up speed, more and more universities in the U. S. are beginning to offer degree programs in nanotechnology. These programs now range from minor and majors in nanotechnology to Masters' programs to PhD's in any number of nanotechnology-related fields.

For those students seeking a higher education at a college or university that doesn’t offer a degree in nanoscience, a student could choose to go into chemistry, physics, engineering, biology, IT, or another technology fields. With the help of a college advisor or a trusted professor or mentor, students can navigate college-level science courses to learn a great deal about nanotechnology. And keep in mind that the further you get in your education, the greater the options and choices that become available to you.

Scholarships, Fellowships, Internships, and Postdoctoral Positions

NASA Space Technology Research Fellowships (NSTRF)  — The goal of NSTRF is to sponsor U.S. citizen and permanent resident graduate students who show significant potential to contribute to NASA’s goal of creating innovative new space technologies for our Nation’s science, exploration and economic future.   NASA Space Technology Fellows will perform innovative, space-technology research at their respective campuses and at NASA Centers and/or at nonprofit U.S. Research and Development (R&D) laboratories.  Awards are made in the form of training grants to accredited U.S. universities on behalf of individuals pursuing master’s or doctoral degrees, with the faculty advisor serving as the principal investigator.

NASA Postdoctoral Program — NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) supports NASA’s goal to expand scientific understanding of the Earth and the universe in which we live. Selected by a competitive peer-review process, NPP Fellows complete one- to three-year Fellowship appointments that advance NASA’s missions in earth science, heliophysics, planetary science, astrophysics, space bioscience, aeronautics and engineering, human exploration and space operations, and astrobiology.

Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)  — NSF funds a large number of research opportunities for undergraduate students through its REU Sites program. Each student is associated with a specific research project, where he/she works closely with the faculty and other researchers. Undergraduate students supported with NSF funds must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its possessions.

NIST Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program  — All six of the NIST laboratories in Gaithersburg, MD, participate in SURF programs. For example, the Materials Measurement Laboratory (MML) and the NIST Center for Neutron Research (NCNR) SURF program is designed to provide hands-on research experience in Ceramics, Metallurgy, Polymers, Condensed Matter Science, and Materials Reliability; available research opportunities in the  MML/NCNR SURF program  include structural and magnetic properties of nanomaterials. NIST also offers  SURF research opportunities in Boulder, CO .

Science, Mathematics, & Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship for Service Program — The SMART Scholarship for Service Program has been established by the DOD to support undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The program is an opportunity for students to receive a full scholarship and be gainfully employed upon degree completion. The program aims to increase the number of civilian scientists and engineers working at DOD laboratories.  

NSF's NanoJapan International Research Experience for Undergraduates — Recognized as a model for international education programs for science and engineering students, NanoJapan provides U.S. undergraduates with structured research opportunities in Japanese university laboratories with Japanese mentors. The strong educational portfolio of this project focuses on cultivating interest in nanotechnology among young U.S. undergraduate students, especially those from underrepresented groups, and encouraging such students to pursue graduate study and academic research in the physical sciences. 

Intelligence Community Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program  — Established in 2000 to fund basic research in areas of interest to the Intelligence Community, today, the program annually funds first- and second-year postdoctoral fellows researching topics as varied as molecular biology and robotics.

National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering - Training & Careers  — NIH/NIBIB training opportunities are geared for undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral candidates. See also the  NIBIB Funding page  and the  NIH Training and Education  page.

NIH's Cancer Nanotechnology Training Centers  (CNTCs)— CNTCs are designed to establish innovative research education programs supporting the development of a multi-disciplinary nanotechnology workforce capable of pursuing cancer research. CNTCs target graduate student and post-doctoral researchers with backgrounds in medicine, biology, and other health sciences as well as in the physical sciences, chemistry, and engineering. The program of multi-disciplinary research education in cancer nanotechnology is primarily focused on mentored laboratory-based training through participation in dedicated training research projects.

Degree Programs

Below is a list of degree programs, including Bachelors degrees with majors, minors and concentrations; Masters degrees; and PhD programs.

Bachelor Degree Programs

Boston University - Concentration in nanotechnology

Clarion University – Minor in nanotechnology

Drexel University – B.S. Materials Science and Engineering with Specialization in Nanotechnology

Excelsior College - B.S. in Electrical Engineering Tech with Nanotechnology concentration

Florida Polytechnic University - B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with nanotechnology concentration

Georgia Tech - B.S. in Electrical Engineering with Nanosystems Specialization

Hampton University - Minor in Nanoscience

Johns Hopkins University - B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering, concentration in nanotechnology

Lock Haven University - B.S. in Applied Physics (Nanotechnology Track)

Louisiana Tech University – B.S. in Nanosystems Engineering

Michigan Technological University – B.S. in Physics with minor in nanotechnology

New Jersey Institute of Technology - Minor in nanotechnology

Northwestern University –  B.S. in Physics with Nanoscale Physics Concentration

Oregon State University - B.S. in Chemical Engineering with nanotechnology processes option

Pennsylvania State University - Minor in nanotechnology ; Nanofabrication Manufacturing Technology capstone semester  

Rice University –  B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering with Concentration in Photonics and Nanodevices , or  B.S. in Materials Science and Nanoengineering

Rutgers University -  B.S. program in Materials Science and Engineering with a focus on nanomaterials

Stanford University - B.S. Materials Science and Engineering with nanotechnology concentration

Tuskegee University -  Bachelor of Science in Engineering with a Concentration in Semiconductors

University at Albany/State University of New York, College of Nanotechnology, Science, and Engineering –  B.S. in Nanoscale Science ,  B.S. in Nanoscale Engineering

University of Arkansas - Minor in nanotechnology

University of California, Riverside – B.S. in Materials Science with a concentration in nanomaterials and sensors ; B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering with a concentration in nanotechnology ;  B.S. in Chemical and Environmental Engineering with a nanotechnology concentration

University of California, San Diego – B.S. Nanoengineering

University of Central Florida – B.S. in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology track in Liberal Studies

University of Cincinnatti - Minor in Nanoengineering ; Minor in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

University of Connecticut - Minor in Nanotechnology

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - B.S. with Nanotechnology Concentration

University of Maryland, Materials Science and Engineering – Interdisciplinary minor in nanotechnology

University of Notre Dame -  B.S. w/ Concentration in Seminconductors and Nanotechnology

University of Southern California -  Minor in Nanotechnology

University of Utah -  B.S. w/ Emphasis in Micro/Nanoscale Engineering

University of Virginia - Engineering Science Undergraduate Program with either nanomedicine concentration or nanotechnology concentration

University of Washington – B.S. w/ Nanoscience and Molecular Engineering Option

University of Wisconsin-Stout – B.S. in Applied Science, Materials and Nanoscience Concentration

Virginia Tech University -  B.S. in Nanoscience

Washington State University, Nanotechnology Think Tank -  B.S. w/ Specialization in Nanotechnology

Master's Degree Programs

Arizona State University – Professional Science Master (PSM) in Nanoscience and M.A. in Applied Ethics (Ethics and Emerging Technologies)

Boston University -  M.S. in Biomedical Engineering with a Focus in Nanomedicine

City University of New York (CUNY): M.S. Program in Nanoscience

Cornell University - M.S. Applied Physics with Nanotechnology Specialization

Johns Hopkins University – M.S. with Concentration in Nanotechnology ; Nano-Bio Graduate Training Program

Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering (collaborative project of North Carolina A&T State Univ. and Univ. of North Carolina Greensboro)  – M.S. in Nanoscience and M.S. in Nanoengineering

Louisiana Tech University – M.S. in Molecular Sciences and Nanotechnology

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University - M.S. in Nanoengineering  

North Carolina State University - M.S. in Nanoengineering

North Dakota State University – M.S. in Materials and Nanotechnology

Northwestern University -  M.S. with Specialization in Nanotechnology

Princeton University — see Rutgers listing for joint program

Radiological Technologies University VT (Indiana) – M.S. in Nanomedicine

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey and Princeton University- Integrative Graduate Education Research Traineeship (IGERT) in Nanotechnology for Clean Energy 

Singapore-MIT Alliance – M.Eng. Advanced Materials for Micro- and Nano-Systems

Stevens Institute of Technology – M.Eng. with Nanotechnology Concentration and M.S. with Nanotechnology Concentration

University at Albany/State University of New York, College of Nanotechnology, Science, and Engineering –  M.S. in Nanoscale Science ,  M.S. in Nanoscale Engineering ,  M.S. in Nanobioscience

University of California, Riverside – Online M.S. Nanotechnology Engineering

University of California, San Diego – M.S. Nanoengineering

University of Central Florida - M.S. and P.S.M in Nanotechnology

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign -  Cancer Nanotechnology Concentration

University of New Mexico – M.S. in Nanoscience and Microsystems

University of North Carolina at Greensboro - M.S. in Nanoscience

University of Pennsylvania – M.S. in Nanotechnology

University of Pennsylvania  –   M. S. in Chemical Sciences  (with courses in materials science and nanoscience included in the curriculum)

University of South Florida - M.S. in Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology

University of Texas at Austin – M.S. with Nanomaterials Thrust Area

Ph.D. Degree Programs

City University of New York - Nanotechnology and Materials Chemistry 

Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering - Nanoscience or Nanoengineering

Louisiana Tech University -  Nanosystems Engineering ;  Molecular Science and Nanoengineering

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University - Ph.D. in Nanoengineering

North Dakota State University - Materials and Nanotechnology

Northeastern University, NSF’s Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) - Ph.D. in Nanomedicine

Northwestern University - Specialization in Nanotechnology

Rice University - Materials Science and NanoEngineering

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology – Nanoscience and Engineering program

Stevens Institute of Technology - Nanotechnology Graduate Program

University at Albany/State University of New York, College of Nanotechnology, Science, and Engineering –  Ph.D. in Nanoscale Science ,  Ph.D. in Nanoscale Engineering ,  Ph.D. in Nanobioscience ,  M.D./Ph.D. in Medicine and Nanoscale Science or Engineering

University of California, Berkeley - Nanoscale Science and Engineering

University of California, Los Angeles -  Ph.D. Chemistry w/ Materials and Nanoscience Specialization

University of California, San Diego - Nanoengineering

University of New Mexico - Nanoscience and Microsystems

University of North Carolina at Charlotte -  Ph.D. Program in Nanoscale Science

University of North Carolina at Greensboro - Ph.D. in Nanoscience  

University of Texas at Austin -  Ph.D. w/ Nanomaterials Thrust

University of Utah – Nanotechnology

University of Washington –  Dual Titled Ph.D. in (core discipline) and Nanotechnology & Molecular Engineering  & Ph.D. in Molecular Engineering

Virginia Commonwealth University  Ph.D. in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Washington State University - Graduate Certificate in Engineering Nanotechnology

Got a new program? Contact us at [email protected]  to have it listed on this site.

For more opportunities, visit our Funding Opportunities page .

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Nanotechnology Research Laboratories

Cellular and Molecular Imaging Laboratory (CMIL) PI: Jianghong Rao, PhD

This laboratory is focusing on the development of non-invasive imaging methods to image tumor-specific molecular markers such as mRNAs of oncogenes and over-expressed proteinases for better understanding of tumor biology. Towards this goal, we take an interdisciplinary approach of combining synthetic and physical organic chemistry, molecular biology with imaging techniques such as fluorescence microscopy, whole body fluorescence/bioluminescence imaging. A recent emphasis in the lab is to apply nanotechnology to develop novel nanosensors for bioimaging and tumor detection.

Visit the Rao Lab website

Daniels Lab PI: Kyle Daniels, PhD

The goal of my lab is to engineer synthetic receptors and signaling adaptors that control immune cell behaviors such as survival, proliferation, differentiation, migration, and cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Synthetic receptors are highly modular systems that are critically important as emerging cell therapies and synthetic biology-based research tools. For example: chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) are powerful therapeutics for blood cancers. Currently, we are able to slowly and painstakingly construct these synthetic receptors through iterative design, but we lack the necessary tools to rationally engineer receptors that produce desired behaviors in mammalian cells. My laboratory will experimentally screen libraries of hundreds to thousands of receptors and use machine learning approaches to discover design rules that enable rational design of modular receptors with predicted cellular functions. Ultimately, this work will improve our understanding of modular biological systems and enable rapid development of more effective cell therapies. Through collaborations and as my research expands, I expect that we will engineer receptors useful for modulating many processes in diverse cell types.

Many signaling molecules contain modular peptide signaling motifs with complementarity to various effector proteins such as kinases, phosphatases, phospholipases, and other effectors. For example, the p YMFM peptide motif binds the kinase PI3K and the IT p YAAV peptide motif binds the phosphatase SHP-1. Various combinations and arrangements of signaling motifs produce a wide variety of signaling and cell phenotypes. Despite the modularity and complementarity inherent to receptor signaling, facile receptor engineering eludes us because we lack predictive models relating signaling motif combinations to cell phenotype. A major goal of this work is to develop quantitative models and learn design rules that allow us to harness the modularity and complementarity of receptor signaling to predictably engineer receptors that control cell phenotypes. A number of the proteins involved in immune cell function are multivalent, containing numerous src-homology 2 (SH2) domains or src-homology 3 (SH3) domains, as well as peptide motifs that bind to such domains. These proteins include PLCg1 and Grb2, important cell signaling effector molecules that have been observed to induce phase separation. Another such protein, Vav1, is critical for initiating cytoskeletal rearrangements upon immune cell activation. The lab will build synthetic signaling molecules that contain novel combinations and arrangements of the the SH2 domains and peptide motifs involved in T cell activation. We will use imaging techniques observe phase separation (by TIRF) during immune cell signal and subsequent cytoskeletal rearrangements (by super-resolution microscopy) to understand how synthetic and natural signaling molecules mediate these processes and ultimately influence the resulting cell phenotypes.

Visit the de Daniels Lab website

Nanophotonics Laboratory PI: Jennifer Dionne, PhD

The Dionne lab is passionate about solving challenges in global health and sustainability with nanophotonics. We imagine a world where diseases like cancer, COVID, and tuberculosis are detected and cured with light. We develop new nanomaterials and nanophotonic imaging platforms with translational impact, using a feedback loop between advanced computational and characterization platforms spanning the molecular to cellular level. We are a diverse team of materials scientists, radiologists, chemists, applied physicists, electrical engineers, chemical engineers, and bioengineers, and we work closely with collaborators in the clinical virology and pathology labs, as well as with surgeons.

Visit the Dionne Lab website

Pediatric Molecular Imaging Laboratory PI: Heike E. Daldrup-Link, MD

Our NIH-funded team of basic science researchers and physician scientists develops novel imaging solutions for pediatric patients with the goal to tackle significant problems encountered in clinical practice. We have extensive expertise in pre-clinical development and clinical translation of novel imaging technologies at the intersection of cell biology, nanomedicine and medical imaging: We developed “one stop” imaging tests for pediatric cancer staging, theranostic nanoparticles for cancer therapy without side effects, and patented techniques for stem cell tracking in patients. We recently initiated a collaborative program with 20 faculty from 9 Departments, who develop an imaging test for prediction and early treatment of tissue injuries after chemotherapy (PREDICT). Over the past 10 years, our team members received 77 honors and awards.

Visit the Daldrup-Link Lab website

Wang Laboratory PI: Shan X. Wang, PhD

Prof. Wang and his group are engaged in the research of magnetic nanotechnologies and information storage in general, including magnetic biochips, in vitro diagnostics, cell sorting, magnetic nanoparticles, nano-patterning, spin electronic materials and sensors, magnetic inductive heads, as well as magnetic integrated inductors and transformers. He uses modern thin-film growth techniques, lithography, and nanofabrication to engineer new electromagnetic materials and devices and to study their behavior at nanoscale and at very high frequencies. His group is investigating magnetic nanoparticles, high saturation soft magnetic materials, giant magnetoresistance spin valves, magnetic tunnel junctions, and spin electronic materials, with applications in cancer nanotechnology, in vitro diagnostics, spin-based information processing, efficient energy conversion and storage, and extremely high-density magnetic recording. Nanotechnology can make a positive impact to in-vitro and in-vivo diagnostics of cancer and other complex diseases.

Visit the Wang Lab website

In Memoriam

Multimodality Molecular Imaging Laboratory (MMIL) PI: Sanjiv Sam Gambhir, MD, PhD

My laboratory is developing imaging assays to monitor fundamental cellular/molecular events in living subjects including patients. Technologies such as positron emission tomography (PET), optical (fluorescence, bioluminescence, Raman), ultrasound, and photoacoustic imaging are all under active investigation.

Imaging agents for multiple modalities including small molecules, engineered proteins, and nanoparticles are under development and being clinically translated. Our goals are to detect cancer early and to better manage cancer through the use of both in vitro diagnostics and molecular imaging. Strategies are being tested in small animal models and are also being clinically translated.

Visit the Gambhir Lab website

Sponsored Research

Ccne-td- nih u54.

Center for Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence for Translational Diagnostics

EDRN – NIH U01

Early Cancer Detection Research Network

KEY APPLICATION AREA

Nanomedicine

Nanotechnology allows the creation and use of functionalized structures, devices, and systems that take advantage of specific properties of matter that exist at the nanoscale. The integration of biomolecular engineering, nanotechnology, and biology is expected to produce major breakthroughs in cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. Due to the size-compatibility of nano-scale structures with proteins and nucleic acids, the design, synthesis and application of nanoprobes, nanocarriers and nanomachines provide unprecedented opportunities for achieving a better control of biological processes, and drastic improvements in disease detection, therapy, and prevention.

Bioengineers at Rice have been advancing nanotechnology innovations for more specific and effective disease diagnosis and treatment, and translating the nanomedicine approaches to address unmet needs in medicine.

Rice BIOE researchers working in this key application area:

Gang bao, phd, faculty profile | laboratory website, mingjie dai, phd, faculty profile, kevin mchugh, phd, antonios mikos, phd, junghae suh, phd, omid veiseh, phd, david zhang, phd, julea vlassakis, phd.

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Nanomedicine articles within Nature Nanotechnology

Article | 19 June 2024

Resolvin D1 delivery to lesional macrophages using antioxidative black phosphorus nanosheets for atherosclerosis treatment

Targeted black phosphorus nanosheet-based therapeutics that efficiently deliver resolvin D1 to lesional macrophages for the treatment of atherosclerosis by reducing oxidative stress and resolving inflammation have been discussed.

• Zhongshan He
•  &  Wei Tao

Analysis | 15 May 2024

A large-scale machine learning analysis of inorganic nanoparticles in preclinical cancer research

This analysis leverages a large-scale literature review, text mining, statistics and machine learning to identify trends, shortcomings and future opportunities in developing and deploying inorganic nanoparticles for cancer diagnosis and therapy.

• Bárbara B. Mendes
• , Zilu Zhang
•  &  João Conde

Article | 13 May 2024

Janus liposozyme for the modulation of redox and immune homeostasis in infected diabetic wounds

Therapies for treating bacterial infection and increasing wound healing are needed. Here the authors report a liposozyme that combines reactive oxygen species generation and scavenging for antibacterial action and modulation of redox and immune homeostasis, increasing wound healing.

• Tingting Wei
• , Tiezheng Pan
•  &  Chunqiu Zhang

News & Views | 25 March 2024

Controlling the STING pathway to improve immunotherapy

A genetically engineered variant of the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) protein is delivered to cancer cells, showing potential for clinical impact.

• John T. Wilson

Article | 19 March 2024

Genome-wide forward genetic screening to identify receptors and proteins mediating nanoparticle uptake and intracellular processing

Understanding how cells process nanoparticles is crucial to improve nanomedicine efficacy. Here a genome-wide screening is used to discover proteins that are involved in silica nanoparticle accumulation by cells and shows that different apolipoprotein receptors and proteoglycans mediate their internalization.

• Daphne Montizaan
• , Roberta Bartucci
•  &  Anna Salvati

Article 16 February 2024 | Open Access

Cellular uptake and in vivo distribution of mesenchymal-stem-cell-derived extracellular vesicles are protein corona dependent

In regenerative medicine, stem-cell-derived extracellular vesicles are emerging as cell-free nanotherapeutics. Here, the authors show that coating these nanovesicles with blood proteins such as albumin improves their uptake by liver cells, offering a better treatment strategy for liver diseases.

• Revadee Liam-Or
• , Farid N. Faruqu
•  &  Khuloud T. Al-Jamal

Article | 25 January 2024

Augmenting insect olfaction performance through nano-neuromodulation

Insects have been shown to have the ability to detect different chemical agents. Here, the authors present a nanomaterial-assisted neuromodulation strategy to augment the chemosensory abilities of insects via photothermal effect and on-demand neurotransmitter release from cargo-loaded nanovehicles to augment natural sensory function.

• Prashant Gupta
• , Rishabh Chandak
•  &  Srikanth Singamaneni

Article | 16 January 2024

Controlled adsorption of multiple bioactive proteins enables targeted mast cell nanotherapy

Proteins absorbed on nanomaterials often lose function due to denaturation. A poly(propylene sulfone) nanoparticle with site-specific dipole relaxation has been reported, which allows proteins to anchor to the nanoparticle without disrupting the hydrogen bonding or structure maintaining the protein functionality.

• , Clayton H. Rische
•  &  Evan A. Scott

Article 15 January 2024 | Open Access

Urease-powered nanobots for radionuclide bladder cancer therapy

Bladder cancer treatment suffers from low therapeutic efficacy. Here the authors present radioactive 131 I-labelled urease-powered nanobots that exhibit enhanced accumulation at the tumour site, enabling effective radionuclide therapy at low doses as an alternative treatment option for bladder cancer.

• Cristina Simó
• , Meritxell Serra-Casablancas
•  &  Samuel Sánchez

Article 02 January 2024 | Open Access

Oral nanotherapeutic formulation of insulin with reduced episodes of hypoglycaemia

Insulin injections are not ideal and have an increased risk of hypoglycaemia. A preferable oral formulation based on silver sulfide quantum dots coated with a chitosan/glucose polymer is discussed, which has controlled insulin release and reduced risk of hypoglycaemia, and demonstrates applications in rodent and non-human primate models.

• Nicholas J. Hunt
• , Glen P. Lockwood
•  &  Victoria C. Cogger

News & Views | 29 December 2023

Intracerebral fate of engineered nanoparticles

Organic and inorganic nanoparticles have different clearance mechanisms from the brain resulting in different biological fates and retention times.

• Elizabeth Nance

Review Article | 27 December 2023

Strategies for non-viral vectors targeting organs beyond the liver

Nanoparticles naturally accumulate in the liver; this can be a major limitation to any therapy needing delivery to other organs or tissues. Here the authors review the reason for predominant liver uptake and explore different strategies used to target non-viral gene delivery nanoparticles to other organs and tissues.

• Jeonghwan Kim
• , Yulia Eygeris
•  &  Gaurav Sahay

Article | 11 December 2023

Associating growth factor secretions and transcriptomes of single cells in nanovials using SEC-seq

Using hydrogel nanovials to capture single mesenchymal stromal cells and their growth factor secretions, the authors link cell secretion to the transcriptome for thousands of cells, SEC-seq, enabling the study of secretion-associated cell states and mechanisms in therapeutic cell types.

• Shreya Udani
• , Justin Langerman
•  &  Dino Di Carlo

Article | 20 November 2023

Combinatorial development of nebulized mRNA delivery formulations for the lungs

Nebulized mRNA delivery has broad therapeutic potential but has proven challenging. Here, the authors report on a modified lipid nanoparticle with improved conditions to allow nebulization and demonstrate its application for delivering mRNA to the lungs.

• Allen Y. Jiang
• , Jacob Witten
•  &  Daniel G. Anderson

News & Views | 26 October 2023

Biohybrid nanoparticles for treating arthritis

A biohybrid nanoparticle formulation effectively treats rheumatoid arthritis by concurrently providing symptom relief and restoring proper immune function.

• Ronnie H. Fang
•  &  Liangfang Zhang

Article | 26 October 2023

Ceria-vesicle nanohybrid therapeutic for modulation of innate and adaptive immunity in a collagen-induced arthritis model

Rheumatoid arthritis involves both inflammation and immune dysfunction, yet most therapies only target one aspect. Here, the authors report on ceria nanoparticle vesicle hybrids producing anti-inflammatory action and immunomodulation to relieve symptoms and restore normal function.

• , Hee Su Sohn
•  &  Taeghwan Hyeon

Article | 14 September 2023

Breaking through the basement membrane barrier to improve nanotherapeutic delivery to tumours

Nanoparticle penetration into tumours is an obstacle to cancer therapeutics. Here the authors show that the tumour vascular basement membrane constitutes a barrier that reduces nanoparticle delivery and demonstrate an immune-driven strategy to overcome the barrier, increasing nanoparticle movement into tumours.

• , Qirui Liang
•  &  Yucai Wang

Article | 11 September 2023

Oxyhaemoglobin saturation NIR-IIb imaging for assessing cancer metabolism and predicting the response to immunotherapy

Non-invasive monitoring of oxygen levels has implications in a wide range of applications. Here, the authors report that biological imaging beyond 1,500 nm enables in vivo quantitative assessment of oxyhaemoglobin saturation at vascular resolution with high sensitivity.

• Zhiguo Fang
• , Chenlei Wang
•  &  Yeteng Zhong

News & Views | 03 August 2023

Effects of cholesterol on biomolecular corona

Cholesterol levels in biological fluids are shown to change the composition of the protein corona affecting the biological fate of nanoparticles.

• Negar Mahmoudi
•  &  Morteza Mahmoudi

Article | 03 August 2023

Electroactive membrane fusion-liposome for increased electron transfer to enhance radiodynamic therapy

Here the authors report on exoelectrogenic bacteria-derived membrane fusion-liposome-coated titanium dioxide nanoparticles to mimic extracellular electron transfer to enhance superoxide anion production under low-dose X-ray irradiation for radiodynamic therapy.

• Ying-Chi Chen
• , Yi-Ting Li
•  &  Chen-Sheng Yeh

Cholesterol modulates the physiological response to nanoparticles by changing the composition of protein corona

Here the authors report that the metabolome profile is an unexploited factor impacting the targeting efficacy and safety of nanomedicines, using cholesterol as an example, showing a way and need to develop personalized nanomedicines by harnessing disease-related metabolites.

• , Ying Zhang
•  &  Jigang Wang

Article | 27 July 2023

Close the cancer–immunity cycle by integrating lipid nanoparticle–mRNA formulations and dendritic cell therapy

Overcoming the immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment is a challenge. A strategy to close the cancer–immunity cycle has been reported by integrating lipid nanoparticle–mRNA formulations and dendritic cell therapy to promote tumour elimination and develop antitumour immunity.

• Yuebao Zhang
• , Xucheng Hou
•  &  Yizhou Dong

Article | 10 July 2023

Transport by circulating myeloid cells drives liposomal accumulation in inflamed synovium

PEGylated liposomal accumulation in inflamed regions has mainly been attributed to the enhanced permeation and retention effect. An arthritis model that chemotactically attracted myeloid cells shows that monocytes and neutrophils play an essential role in liposome delivery towards inflamed joints.

• Joke Deprez
• , Rein Verbeke
•  &  Ine Lentacker

Article | 15 May 2023

Non-invasive activation of intratumoural gene editing for improved adoptive T-cell therapy in solid tumours

Cancer resistance to apoptosis can hinder T-cell-based therapies. Here, the authors develop a temperature-sensitive system for the controlled delivery of a Cas9 gene-editing sequence targeting resistance mechanisms HSP70 and BAG3, which with a mild thermal effect increases T-cell delivery and therapeutic outcomes.

• Xiaohong Chen
• , Shuang Wang
•  &  Yuan Ping

News & Views | 20 April 2023

Artificial intelligence assists nanoparticles to enter solid tumours

Single blood vessel analysis by artificial intelligence (AI) reveals heterogeneous vascular permeability among different tumour types, which is leveraged in rationally designing protein nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems to achieve active trans-endothelial permeability in tumours.

News & Views | 17 April 2023

Transport mechanisms

A study of the transport of gold nanoparticles in the kidney nephron shows a previously unreported transport pathway.

• Robert Unwin

Article | 17 April 2023

Proximal tubules eliminate endocytosed gold nanoparticles through an organelle-extrusion-mediated self-renewal mechanism

Understanding the pathways of nanoparticle removal from the body is important for nanomedicine applications and safety. Here the authors report the elimination of gold nanoparticles from the proximal tubules in the kidney via a newly described elimination pathway.

• Yingyu Huang
• , Mengxiao Yu
•  &  Jie Zheng

Article | 27 March 2023

Artificial-enzymes-armed Bifidobacterium longum probiotics for alleviating intestinal inflammation and microbiota dysbiosis

Approaches to treat inflammatory bowel disease with probiotics or artificial enzymes have advantages and limitations. Here we combine the advantages to overcome the individual limitations by modifying probiotics with artificial enzymes and demonstrate application in treating inflammatory bowel disease.

• Fangfang Cao
•  &  Zhengwei Mao

Article | 13 February 2023

Machine-learning-assisted single-vessel analysis of nanoparticle permeability in tumour vasculatures

Using genetically tailored protein-based nanoprobes and taking advantage of image-segmentation-based machine learning, a high-throughput assessment of vascular permeability of individual blood vessels in 32 different tumours is quantified. These insights are valuable in developing personalized anticancer nanomedicine therapeutics and strategies modulating vascular permeability to treat tumours.

• Mingsheng Zhu
• , Jie Zhuang
•  &  Xinglu Huang

Article | 26 January 2023

Molecular bottlebrush prodrugs as mono- and triplex combination therapies for multiple myeloma

Although nanomedicine has shown benefits with respect to soluble drug administration, whether delivery of multiple drugs within the same nanocarrier has advantages over administration of single-drug nanomedicines or combination of free drugs at the same dosage is unclear. Here we use a bottlebrush prodrug platform to show that the delivery of three drugs in a synergistic combination in animal models outperforms other combinatorial approaches for multiple myeloma therapy.

• Alexandre Detappe
• , Hung V.-T. Nguyen
•  &  Jeremiah A. Johnson

Article | 12 January 2023

A nanoadjuvant that dynamically coordinates innate immune stimuli activation enhances cancer immunotherapy and reduces immune cell exhaustion

Although conventional innate immune stimuli contribute to immune activation, they induce exhausted immune cells, resulting in suboptimal cancer immunotherapy. Now, a kinetically activating nanoadjuvant can dynamically integrate two waves of innate immune stimuli, in terms of the order, duration and time window, which results in effective antitumour immunity without immune cell exhaustion.

• Seung Mo Jin
• , Yeon Jeong Yoo
•  &  Yong Taik Lim

Review Article | 19 December 2022

The potential impact of nanomedicine on COVID-19-induced thrombosis

This Review analyses the possibilities that a nanomedicine approach offers to tackle COVID-19-induced thrombosis and the associated challenges.

• Peije Russell
• , Lars Esser
•  &  Nicolas H. Voelcker

Article | 19 December 2022

Targeting the activity of T cells by membrane surface redox regulation for cancer theranostics

Measuring the in situ activation status of T cells is important to gauge the efficacy of immunotherapy approaches. In this Article the authors design a chemical probe that binds to the T cell membrane and scavenges reactive oxygen species (ROS), preventing ROS-driven T cell exhaustion while serving as a magnetic resonance imaging probe to quantify T cell activity in tumours and predict radiotherapy outcomes.

• Changrong Shi
• , Qianyu Zhang
•  &  Zijian Zhou

Article | 10 November 2022

Immunological conversion of solid tumours using a bispecific nanobioconjugate for cancer immunotherapy

Solid tumours are less responsive to immunotherapies than haematological tumours due to specific biological differences. In this paper the authors propose a strategy to decorate the cell membrane of solid tumours with a protein typically present on haematological tumour cells that promotes phagocytosis of cancer cells, and show that this results in an increased immunotherapy efficacy in animal models of solid tumours.

• , Kristin Huntoon
•  &  Wen Jiang

News & Views | 22 August 2022

Wireless nanomedicine for brain tumors

Delivering light therapy using a remotely controlled bioelectronic device implanted above the brain might complement current glioblastoma therapies, reducing cancer recurrence and improving survival.

•  &  Yong Zhang

Article | 22 August 2022

Remotely controlled near-infrared-triggered photothermal treatment of brain tumours in freely behaving mice using gold nanostars

Current treatment of brain tumour entails open-skull tumour resection and follow-up X-ray radiation or chemotherapy, with surgery-associated risks and side-effects. Here a photothermal approach is presented that relies on wireless near-infrared stimulation for continuous, on-demand treatment of brain tumours in free-moving animals.

• Hamed Arami
• , Siavash Kananian
•  &  Sanjiv Sam Gambhir

Perspective | 18 August 2022

Nanotechnology-based strategies against SARS-CoV-2 variants

This Perspective highlights the role that nanotechnology might play in tackling the rise of new SARS-CoV-2 variants.

• Xiangang Huang

Article | 20 June 2022

Continuous cuffless monitoring of arterial blood pressure via graphene bioimpedance tattoos

Self-adhesive bioimpedance graphene electronic tattoos enable accurate continuous blood pressure monitoring.

• Dmitry Kireev
•  &  Deji Akinwande

Article | 30 May 2022

Cancer immunotherapy based on image-guided STING activation by nucleotide nanocomplex-decorated ultrasound microbubbles

Activation of the STING pathway in antigen-presenting cells has been proposed as a strategy to stimulate the adaptive immune response against tumours, but its clinical application is hampered by the instability, low specificity and low cytosolic entry of natural STING agonists. Here the authors present a platform for targeted ultrasound-mediated cytosolic delivery of STING agonists that shows efficacy in different animal tumour models and improves the response to checkpoint blockade therapies.

• , Sina Khorsandi
•  &  Jacques Lux

Article | 23 May 2022

A pyroptosis nanotuner for cancer therapy

Pyroptosis is a programmed cell death mechanism relevant in cancer therapy that can be triggered by endocytic organelle stress, but is challenging to induce in a controlled manner. In this paper the authors engineer a library of ultra-pH-sensitive nanophotosensitizers that can target specific endocytic organelles and elicit pyroptotic cancer cell death in a controlled fashion.

• Binlong Chen
•  &  Yiguang Wang

Article | 12 May 2022

Enhancing CRISPR/Cas gene editing through modulating cellular mechanical properties for cancer therapy

In vivo delivery of the CRISPR/Cas system is a promising cancer therapy approach, but its efficacy is hampered by low penetrability of nanoparticles in the stiff tumour tissue. Here the authors use dendrimer lipid nanoparticles to couple PD-L1 gene editing with knockdown of FAK, a protein involved in cell adhesion, showing that modulation of the mechanical properties of tumour cells leads to enhanced gene editing and tumour growth inhibition in four different animal models.

• , Guoxun Wang
•  &  Daniel J. Siegwart

Article | 11 April 2022

A nanovaccine for antigen self-presentation and immunosuppression reversal as a personalized cancer immunotherapy strategy

Cancer vaccines based on endogenous modified dendritic cells can activate cytotoxic T cells in an antigen-specific manner, but the short life of dendritic cells on injection in the body limits the efficacy of the strategies. Here the authors design biomimetic nanovesicles derived from antigen-presenting dendritic cell membranes for cancer vaccination and the simultaneous delivery of immune co-stimulatory molecules, showing robust antitumour activity in animal models.

•  &  Gang Liu

Review Article | 07 April 2022

Applying lessons learned from nanomedicines to understand rare hypersensitivity reactions to mRNA-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccines

This perspective analyses the adverse reactions reported for mRNA-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in the light of infusion reactions to nanomedicines, which display similar outcomes, suggests possible mechanisms and offers a safety roadmap for vaccine developers.

• Janos Szebeni
• , Gert Storm
•  &  Marina A. Dobrovolskaia

Matters Arising | 09 December 2021

Reply to: Questions about the role of P3HT nanoparticles in retinal stimulation

• Fabio Benfenati
•  &  Guglielmo Lanzani

News & Views | 18 November 2021

Cancer cells hijack T-cell mitochondria

Nanotube-mediated acquisition of immune cells’ mitochondria by tumour cells is a novel mechanism for immune evasion that can be pharmacologically targeted to potentiate cancer immunotherapies.

• Jeremy G. Baldwin
•  &  Luca Gattinoni

Article | 18 November 2021

Supramolecular arrangement of protein in nanoparticle structures predicts nanoparticle tropism for neutrophils in acute lung inflammation

Neutrophils are the first responders in acute inflammatory events such as acute respiratory distress syndrome and tend to home to lung capillaries during acute inflammation, where they can cause tissue damage by diapedesis and secretion of specific molecules. Here the authors show that nanoparticles coated with agglutinated proteins selectively target activated neutrophils in inflamed lungs and can be used for imaging and therapeutic purposes.

• Jacob W. Myerson
• , Priyal N. Patel
•  &  Jacob S. Brenner

Article | 11 November 2021

A lysosome-targeted DNA nanodevice selectively targets macrophages to attenuate tumours

Innate immune cells such as dendritic cells and macrophages can activate the adaptive immune system against cancer by presenting cancer-specific antigens, although this activity is severely limited in macrophages due to their intrinsic lysosomal cysteine protease activity. Here the authors show that a DNA nanodevice specifically targeted to macrophage lysosomes can inhibit cysteine proteases in these cells, restoring their antigen-presenting capability.

• , Kasturi Chakraborty
•  &  Lev Becker

Comment | 04 November 2021

The role and impact of polyethylene glycol on anaphylactic reactions to COVID-19 nano-vaccines

Polyethylene glycol, used as a stabilizer in nanomedicine formulations, has recently been indicated as the possible cause of the anaphylactic reactions against the COVID-19 mRNA-based vaccines, but the evidence supporting this is contradictory, and other factors might be involved.

•  &  G. Pasut

Article | 25 October 2021

Ferritin-based targeted delivery of arsenic to diverse leukaemia types confers strong anti-leukaemia therapeutic effects

Trivalent arsenic (As III ) is a clinically approved treatment agent for patients with promyelocytic leukaemia, but cannot be used for other types of leukaemia due to its toxicity. Here the authors show that different patient-derived leukaemia cells express CD71 and design a ferritin-based nanoparticle for specific delivery of As III to these cells, demonstrating substantially improved efficacy towards different leukaemia types in animal models, with reduced side effects.

• Changlong Wang
• , Wei Zhang
•  &  Ding Ma

Article | 30 September 2021

Amplifying STING activation by cyclic dinucleotide–manganese particles for local and systemic cancer metalloimmunotherapy

The stimulation of interferon genes (STING) pathway with STING agonists such as cyclic dinucleotides (CDNs) has emerged as a promising immunotherapeutic approach. Here, the authors show that Mn 2+ can amplify the STING-promoted anti-tumour immune response in challenging murine tumour models by coordinating with CDNs and self-assembling into nanoparticles that can be delivered locally and systemically.

•  &  James J. Moon

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Northeastern University College of Science

Master of Science in Nanomedicine

Gain hands-on experience in the challenges and opportunities for improving human health through nanomedicine.

The College of Science prepares graduates for the future of work. 95% of our graduates secure employment opportunities soon after completing their degree. (2021 graduate survey data)

A master’s degree holder can expect to earn an average of 20 percent more than someone who has only earned their bachelor’s degree. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2021).

Gain a network for life with thousands of partner organizations and nearly 300,000 alumni in 179 countries.

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the use of nanotechnology in healthcare—changing how we make vaccines, test for infection, and protect ourselves from disease. This exponential rise in nanomedicine innovation has resulted in high demand and competitive salaries for nanomedicine-related occupations.

Designed for scientists, engineers, and clinicians working in or seeking nanomedicine-related careers, Northeastern University’s Master of Science in Nanomedicine is an interdisciplinary, industry-aligned professional degree that provides experience-based learning in nanomedicine research, innovation, and commercialization.

Ready to apply?

Learn more about the College of Science admissions process, policies, and required materials here .

• 2-2.5 years
• Full-time and part-time offerings
• On-campus in Boston, MA and online

International Students

Program does meet F1 Visa Requirements

Find out what additional documents are required to apply here.

Tuition and Financing

Get information on program tuition and fees here.

Learn about financing your education here.

Application Deadlines

Learn more  here.  

Requirements

Online application Application fee Transcripts from all institutions attended Personal statement Resumé 2 letters of recommendation English language proficiency:

• Degree earned or in progress at a U.S. institution
• Degree earned or in progress at an institution where English is the only medium of instruction
• Official exam scores from either the TOEFL iBT (institution code is 3682), IELTS, PTE exam, or Duolingo English Test. Scores are valid for 2 years from the test date.

Learn how you can become part of the next generation of leaders transforming healthcare in our Nanomedicine Graduate Programs Overview.

Meet our Faculty

Needa Brown

Assistant Teaching Professor and Director of the Graduate Certificate in Nanomedicine

Srinivas Sridhar

Director of Nanomedicine Innovation Center and Nanomedicine Academy and Distinguished University Professor of Physics

Anne Van De Ven-Moloney

Director of the Graduate Certificate in Nanomedicine and Associate Teaching Professor

Kinan Alhallak

Assistant Teaching Professor

Get involved in cutting edge research

Find your future career path on co-op

Students in the MS in Nanomedicine program gain real-world experience through Northeastern’s leading co-op program and be prepared for a meaningful, in-demand career within the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, biomedical, and healthcare industries. Our graduates work at leading companies, including Moderna, Takeda, Pfizer, Novartis, AstraZeneca, Leidos, BD Biosciences, Broad Institute, and Abbot Laboratories.

Expand your professional network

Earning a degree at Northeastern opens the door to a network of nearly 300,000 alumni and over 3,350 employer partners, including government agencies, Fortune 500 companies, and global nongovernmental organizations. As a result, our community expands continents, furthering our commitment to global, lifelong connections.

Student Testimonials

“The Nanomedicine program led me into an amazing and fascinating field. The knowledge I gained helped me land a job at a large pharmaceutical company and gave me the confidence to pursue a PhD in nanomedicine and drug delivery.”

– Alessandro Ajo, Alumnus

“One of the best aspects of the nanomedicine program was the opportunity to interact with scientists in academia, government, and industry. This allowed me to stay up-to-date and provided great networking opportunities.”

– Ronodeep Mitra, Alumnus

Your career starts here. Apply today.

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College of Science

Nanomedicine.

Northeastern University's Master of Science in Nanomedicine is a one-of-a-kind, industry-aligned degree for the next generation of scientists, engineers, and clinicians passionate about nanomedicine-related careers.

The program prepares students to tackle challenges and opportunities in healthcare through hands-on training in nanomedicine research, innovation, and commercialization, along with a full-time co-op experience.

Northeastern University's Master of Science in Nanomedicine is an interdisciplinary, industry-aligned professional degree that provides experience-based learning in nanomedicine research, innovation, and commercialization. The program is designed for scientists, engineers, and clinicians working in or seeking nanomedicine-related careers.

The MS in Nanomedicine provides students with a broad understanding of challenges and opportunities in healthcare; hands-on training in nanomedicine materials, methods, and translation strategies; and year-round professional development opportunities that culminate in a full-time co-op experience. Students can specialize their curriculum by selecting a concentration in nanoformulation research; translation and commercialization; or vaccine development.

The degree offers a competitive advantage to those seeking high-demand research and entrepreneurship roles in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, biomedical, and healthcare industries—and students gain a one-of-a-kind opportunity to train for competitive jobs. Through a combination of coursework and real-world projects, our students learn to:

• Identify core challenges and opportunities for improving healthcare through nanomedicine.
• Explain fundamental concepts of nanomedicine design, synthesis, and characterization.
• Summarize and interpret considerations for nanomedicine validation and regulatory approval.
• Identify, evaluate, and communicate seminal and emerging findings in nanomedicine.
• Function effectively on a team to establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
• Analyze and interpret results from experiments and scientific literature.
• Apply knowledge, techniques, tools, and skills to support nanomedicine research, development, and commercialization.
• Integrate classroom experience with authentic practical experience.

The MS in Nanomedicine is a two-year professional master’s program that can be completed either online or on the Boston campus. International students seeking a U.S.-based co-op are recommended to apply for the full-time Boston program to satisfy U.S. visa requirements.

More Details

Unique features.

• Interdisciplinary coursework:  Learn and collaborate alongside scientists, engineers, and clinicians in an industry-aligned interdisciplinary curriculum taught by subject matter experts.
• Flexible industry-aligned programming:  Align your coursework to your career interests by picking the concentration, electives, and signature experiential learning project that best suits you.
• Real-world challenges:  Practice individual and team-based problem-solving through interdisciplinary projects mentored by experts in academia, healthcare, industry, and government.
• Experiential learning:  Build real-world skills by applying classroom knowledge and training to a full-time co-op experience.
• Career enhancement:  Gain a competitive advantage with nanomedicine knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques that let you stand out, whether you're entering the job market, seeking career advancement, or planning a career change.

Career Outlook

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the use of nanotechnology in healthcare—changing the way we make vaccines, test for infection, and protect ourselves from disease. This exponential rise in nanomedicine innovation has resulted in high demand and competitive salaries for nanomedicine-related occupations.

Our industry-aligned program provides the essential knowledge, skills, and real-world training needed to excel in competitive interdisciplinary nanomedicine careers.

Potential Careers

Commercialization

• Entrepreneurship
• Research & development

Translation

• Drug delivery
• Regulatory affairs

Looking for something different?

A graduate degree or certificate from Northeastern—a top-ranked university—can accelerate your career through rigorous academic coursework and hands-on professional experience in the area of your interest. Apply now—and take your career to the next level.

Program Costs

Finance Your Education We offer a variety of resources, including scholarships and assistantships.

How to Apply Learn more about the application process and requirements.

Requirements

• Online application
• Application fee
• Transcripts from all institutions attended
• Personal statement
• 2 letters of recommendation
• Degree earned or in progress at a U.S. institution
• Degree earned or in progress at an institution where English is the only medium of instruction
• Official exam scores from either the TOEFL iBT (institution code is 3682), IELTS, PTE exam, or Duolingo English Test. Scores are valid for 2 years from the test date.

Learn more about applying to the College of Science.

Are You an International Student? Find out what additional documents are required to apply.

Admissions Details Learn more about the College of Science admissions process, policies, and required materials.

Admissions Dates

Application deadlines vary based on the program you’re applying to, and are available on the College of Science website . In addition to submitting your online application, all required application materials must be received by the stated deadlines in order for your application to be considered.

Industry-aligned courses for in-demand careers.

For 100+ years, we’ve designed our programs with one thing in mind—your success. Explore the current program requirements and course descriptions, all designed to meet today’s industry needs and must-have skills.

View curriculum

Our signature experience-powered learning model combines world-class academics with professional practice, allowing you to put your ideas into action. As a nanomedicine master’s student, you can choose to learn and blog about enabling innovations in nanomedicine, design your own nanoparticle in a live online laboratory, create a virtual startup company under industry mentors, practice designing your own in vitro diagnostic and clinical trial, and immerse yourself into the field of nanomedicine with an industry-focused co-op. The master’s program offers a dynamic, transformative experience that can be tailored to your interests and needs, giving you opportunities to grow as a professional and a person.

Our Faculty

Northeastern University faculty represents a broad cross-section of professional practices and fields, including finance, education, biomedical science, management, and the U.S. military. They serve as mentors and advisors and collaborate alongside you to solve the most pressing global challenges facing established and emerging markets.

Srinivas Sridhar

Needa Brown

Kinan Alhallak

Anne L. van de Ven, Ph.D.

By enrolling in Northeastern, you’ll be connected to students at our 13 campuses, as well as 300,000-plus alumni and more than 3,500 employer partners around the world. Our global university system provides you with unique opportunities to think locally and act globally and serves as a platform for scaling ideas, talent, and solutions.

Northeastern University is a world leader in nanomedicine education, training, and innovation. Since 2005, our faculty have brought in more than $9.8 million to support the development of innovative, one-of-a-kind courses and hands-on training programs in nanomedicine. Our nanomedicine courses engage students and faculty around the world, creating a global community of learning, mentoring, and collaboration.

Nanomedicine graduates find employment in the biotech, pharma, healthcare, and medicine industries. Many have used our program to discover their dream job, jump-start a PhD, or start their own company. Below is a look at where nanomedicine alumni work, what they do, and the skills they bring to their organization.

Where They Work

• AstraZeneca
• BD Biosciences
• Broad Institute
• Abbott Laboratories
• MD Anderson
• Bristol-Meyers Squibb

What They Do

• Healthcare services
• Program & project management
• Manufacturing
• Business development
• Strategic planning
• Sales & marketing
• Laboratory operations
• Executive leadership

What They're Skilled At

• Vaccine development
• Formulation discovery
• Therapeutics
• Biomaterials
• Nanofabrication
• In vitro & In vivo validation
• Instrumentation
• Clinical translation
• Industry & government collaboration

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MSc in Nanotechnology for Medicine and Health Care

• Entry requirements
• Funding and costs

College preference

• How to apply

About the course

The University of Oxford Institute of Biomedical Engineering (Department of Engineering Science) and the Department for Continuing Education, in collaboration with Begbroke Science Park, offer the part-time MSc in Nanotechnology for Medicine and Health Care. 

This advanced modular course is delivered by leading scientists and experts in this rapidly developing field and has been specifically designed for those who would value a part-time modular learning structure, for example those in full-time employment.

Nanomedicine is at the forefront of modern healthcare. Nanoparticles offer a new platform for drug delivery that can extend the 'patent life' of drugs, but also greatly increase the targeting and effectiveness of therapy. They can also enhance most of the medical imaging modalities, and in some cases offer a combined diagnostic and therapy, now called 'theranostics'.

Nanoparticle-based medicines are now becoming part of the mainstream approaches for diagnostics and therapy. A 2016 review identified 51 FDA-approved nanomedicines and 77 products undergoing clinical trials. By August 2018, 151 clinical trials using nanomaterials were completed or underway. Whilst most of these used fairly simple single-phase materials, there is a growing trend for more complex multi-functional nanomaterials and there are exciting possibilities ahead. Prime examples being the recent use of lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-based agents to deliver nucleotide payload for vaccination (COVID-19 Vaccines | FDA) and in liver directed gene therapy approaches (FDA approves first-of-its kind targeted RNA-based therapy to treat a rare disease | FDA). In addition to which a range of nanoscale viral-based vectors continue to make progress and achieve approval (FDA Approves First Gene Therapy to Treat Adults with Hemophilia B | FDA).

Nanotechnology is providing the basis for many of the new regenerative medicine approaches that are based on artificial scaffold structures and it offers solutions for many of the new generation of point-of-care biosensors and some of the advanced gene sequencing instrumentation. There are already early indications of improved healthcare outcomes, and the creation of new business and industry.

The University of Oxford Institute of Biomedical Engineering (IBME), an Institute within the Department for Engineering Science, is a world-class interdisciplinary centre for biomedical engineering research, where engineers and clinicians collaborate to address unmet needs in the prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of major diseases and conditions. The Institute’s core research missions are to develop novel medical devices, technology and systems capable of delivering substantial healthcare benefit, and to translate new engineering technologies into clinical practice.

The MSc in Nanotechnology for Medicine and Health Care draws on the world-class research and teaching in nanotechnology and nanomedicine at the University of Oxford and aims to provide you with the necessary training to enable you to understand the principles of nanotechnology and its application in medical research and clinical practice.

The programme will appeal to professionals working in the commercial or healthcare sectors who develop or use nanotechnology in their work, including:

• biomedical engineers
• materials scientists
• biotech-entrepreneurs
• medical practitioners and dentists
• chemists and pharmacists
• electrical engineers
• project managers in related industries
• patent agents and patent lawyers
• legislators
• clinical research fellows, graduates and other researchers in a related area of science.

Course structure

The course is taken part-time as a mixture of online and face-to-face modules, consisting of six modules and a research project and associated dissertation. The programme is normally completed in two to three years. Students are full members of the University of Oxford and are matriculated as members of an Oxford college.

The course uses a blend of individual study together with group work during live online tutorials, conventional lectures and discussions and also requires the student to submit a dissertation reporting an original piece of nanomedicine-based research. The group sessions with tutors are particularly valuable because they offer highly focused learning and assessment opportunities.

The course comprises:

• three online modules giving a thorough introduction to the fundamental science of nanotechnology and the behaviour and characterisation of nanoscale materials;
• three five-day residential modules taught face-to-face in Oxford explaining the scientific, regulatory, clinical and commercial aspects of the application of nanotechnology to medicine and healthcare; and
• an original research project of approximately 18 weeks to be written up as a dissertation.

The three online modules can be taken from anywhere in the world with tutors who provide online support and electronically replicate the Oxford tutorial system, whereas the three face-to-face modules offer intense, focused lectures from Oxford academics from a range of disciplines with expertise in this field. Assessment throughout the modules ensures that students can monitor their progress.

It is recommended that students plan to spend at least 10-15 hours per week in private study in addition to time spent in classes or participating in on-line learning.

Programme modules:

• The Wider Context of Nanotechnology
• The Fundamental Science of Nanotechnology
• Fundamental Characterisation for Nanotechnology
• Introduction to Bionanotechnology
• Nanomedicine – Science and Applications
• Clinical Translation and Commercialisation of Nanomedicine

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Department of Engineering Science and/or the Department for Continuing Education, and this role will usually be performed by the Course Director.

It is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. A supervisor may be found outside the Department of Engineering Science and/or the Department for Continuing Education.

To qualify for the award of an MSc, you will need to:

• Complete and pass six taught modules, submitting one or more written assignments with each module. All modules are compulsory. Modules 1-3 are taught online, Modules 4-6 in person in Oxford. You will also be expected to attend a Residential Weekend in Oxford at the end of Module 3.
• Feedback will be provided for each submission when marks are released. Assessment is summative and weighted marks for each assignment will count towards your overall result for the MSc. Full details of the assessment structure are included in the Course Handbook provided to on-course students.
• You will need to submit a research dissertation of up to 15,000 words. You will be expected to define your own dissertation topic in consultation with your allocated supervisor and the Course Director. You must submit your proposed title no later than the ninth term of study. You will have three terms to complete and submit the dissertation. Students normally begin work on their dissertation project in October with submissions due the following September.

Graduate destinations

Most students on this part-time course are already in full-time employment in related fields (commercial R&D, bio-entrepreneurship, academia, medicine) on commencement of their study. The course offers a contribution towards their professional development. In addition, several students who have recently completed their undergraduate course have used the MSc as a bridge to PhD studies.

The Department for Continuing Education regularly follows up with its alumni to find out what they have gone on to do after completing their course.

Changes to this course and your supervision

The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made in circumstances of a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.

Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.

For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.

Entry requirements for entry in 2024-25

Proven and potential academic excellence.

The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying. 

Degree-level qualifications

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:

• a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in either a science or engineering discipline, or a medical degree.

Applicants with an undergraduate degree in biology, pharmacy or medicine must demonstrate at least A-level (or equivalent) knowledge in mathematics and physics.

Students who have previously completed the University of Oxford's PGCert in Nanotechnology to a high standard are also encouraged to apply and may be permitted to credit their completed PGCert modules towards the MSc.

Alternatively, students may show an equivalent level of demonstrable understanding and competence as a result of professional experience and other training.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA normally sought is 3.6 out of 4.0.

If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.

GRE General Test scores

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience

Successful applicants will normally provide:

• evidence of a demonstrated interest in nanotechnology; 
• evidence of their motivation and ability to complete the course; and
• a clear and well-argued understanding of the benefits of the course to the applicant’s current employment situation and future prospects.

You will be expected to demonstrate an approach to your study which includes demonstrable skills of critical analysis, wide contextual knowledge and the ability to manage your own time.

You must be able to demonstrate evidence of the ability to commit time to study and an employer’s commitment to make time available to study, complete course work and attend course and university events and modules.

You must also be able to demonstrate a good working knowledge of email, internet, word processing and Windows applications (for communications with course members, course team and administration).

Publications are not expected.

Further guidance

• Those who have completed the  PGCert in Nanotechnology  may be eligible for exemption from modules which are also part of the MSc programme. In all cases, the award of the MSc will subsume the award of the PGCert and constitute a single award.
• You are strongly discouraged from registering on any other award programme concurrently with this award programme.

English language proficiency

This course requires proficiency in English at the University's  higher level . If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.

*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) † Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)

Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides  further information about the English language test requirement .

Declaring extenuating circumstances

If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.

You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Supporting documents

You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Performance at interview

Interviews are normally held as part of the admissions process.

Video interviews will be held after each deadline and periodically until the programme is closed to applications. They will be conducted by a minimum of two interviewers and will cover your application.

A video interview will be arranged for all of those who are deemed to fulfil the basic requirements for entry to the course. All of an applicant's previous experience will be taken into account.

The purpose of the interview is to:

• establish your level of interest, motivation and potential to benefit from the course of study;
• clarify any uncertainties about compliance with requirements;
• gauge the consideration the applicant has given to the topic and organisation of their potential proposed research project; and
• ensure that you are fully informed of the standard of achievement and level of commitment required by the course of study.

How your application is assessed

Your application will be assessed purely on your proven and potential academic excellence and other entry requirements described under that heading.

References  and  supporting documents  submitted as part of your application, and your performance at interview (if interviews are held) will be considered as part of the assessment process. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed.

An overview of the shortlisting and selection process is provided below. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide  more information about how applications are assessed . 

Shortlisting and selection

Students are considered for shortlisting and selected for admission without regard to age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex, sexual orientation, as well as other relevant circumstances including parental or caring responsibilities or social background. However, please note the following:

• socio-economic information may be taken into account in the selection of applicants and award of scholarships for courses that are part of  the University’s pilot selection procedure  and for  scholarships aimed at under-represented groups ;
• country of ordinary residence may be taken into account in the awarding of certain scholarships; and
• protected characteristics may be taken into account during shortlisting for interview or the award of scholarships where the University has approved a positive action case under the Equality Act 2010.

Processing your data for shortlisting and selection

Information about  processing special category data for the purposes of positive action  and  using your data to assess your eligibility for funding , can be found in our Postgraduate Applicant Privacy Policy.

Admissions panels and assessors

All recommendations to admit a student involve the judgement of at least two members of the academic staff with relevant experience and expertise, and must also be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies or Admissions Committee (or equivalent within the department).

Admissions panels or committees will always include at least one member of academic staff who has undertaken appropriate training.

Other factors governing whether places can be offered

The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:

• the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the  About  section of this page;
• the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
• minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.

Offer conditions for successful applications

If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide more information about offers and conditions . 

In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:

Financial Declaration

If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a  Financial Declaration  in order to meet your financial condition of admission.

Disclosure of criminal convictions

In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any  relevant, unspent criminal convictions  before you can take up a place at Oxford.

Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS)

Students studying this course will need an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate in order to apply for a short term visa. Non-visa nationals will also require an ATAS certificate to show at Immigration Control.

The department is committed to supporting you to pursue your academic goals.

The Rewley House Continuing Education Library , one of the Bodleian Libraries, is situated in Rewley House. The department aims to support the wide variety of subjects covered by departmental courses at many academic levels. The department also has a collection of around 73,000 books together with periodicals. PCs in the library give access to the internet and the full range of electronic resources subscribed to by the University of Oxford. Wifi is also available. The Jessop Reading Room adjoining the library is available for study. You will have access to the Central Bodleian and other Bodleian Libraries.

The Graduate School provides a stimulating and enriching learning and research environment for the department's graduate students, fostering intellectual and social interaction between graduates of different disciplines and professions from the UK and around the globe. The Graduate School will help you make the most of the wealth of resources and opportunities available, paying particular regard to the support and guidance needed if you are following a part-time graduate programme. The department’s graduate community comprises over 600 members following taught programmes and more than 70 undertaking doctoral research. Opening up possibilities for peer group interaction, students for the MSc in Nanotechnology for Medicine and Health Care are taught alongside those studying for other MSc and Post Graduate Diploma courses in the health sciences, as well as healthcare professionals undertaking the modules for continuing professional development.

The department provides various IT facilities , including the Student Computing Facility which provides individual PCs for your use. Many of the department's courses are delivered through blended learning or have a website to support face-to-face study. In most cases, online support is delivered through a virtual learning environment.

Depending on the programme you are taking with the department, you may require accommodation at some point in your student career. Rewley House is ideally located in central Oxford; the city's historic sites, colleges, museums, shops and restaurants are only a few minutes’ walk away. The department has 35 en-suite study bedrooms, all with high quality amenities, including internet access.

The Rewley House dining room has seating for up to 132 people. A full meal service is available daily. The department operates a Common Room with bar for students.

Departments offering this course

This course is offered jointly by the following departments:

Department for Continuing Education

The need for new learning opportunities throughout life is now recognised throughout society. An intensive, initial period of higher education is not always enough in times of rapid social, economic and technological change. The Department for Continuing Education is known worldwide as a leading provider of extended learning for professional and personal development.

The department provides high-quality, flexible, part-time graduate education, tailored for adults. Students can undertake graduate-level certificates, diplomas and taught master’s degrees in a wide range of subjects. Increasing numbers of courses are delivered in mixed mode, combining intensive periods of residence in Oxford with tutored online study.

The department recruits adult students of all ages on a regional, national and international level. Many courses are offered jointly with other academic departments around the University. Courses are offered in the following areas:

• Mathematical, physical and life sciences
• Medical and health sciences
• Social sciences .

All postgraduate students on the department's courses are members of its Graduate School. The Graduate School aims to provide a stimulating and enriching environment for learning and research. It also fosters intellectual and social interaction between students coming from different disciplines and professions. Interdisciplinary research seminars, training opportunities and other events are offered by the Graduate School in support of this goal.

All masters' and DPhil applicants are considered for Clarendon Scholarships . The department is committed to seeking scholarship support for other students wherever possible.

View all courses   View taught courses View research courses

Department of Engineering Science

The Department of Engineering Science brings together the study of all branches of engineering at Oxford. It has a community of around 550 graduate students at any given time.

The department has a substantial research portfolio, including much that is directly supported by industry. The major theme underlying this research portfolio is the application of cutting-edge science to generate new technology, using a mixture of theory, computation and experiment.

Study and research opportunities in the department include both conventional disciplines of engineering and newer areas of interest, such as information engineering, low-temperature engineering, nanotechnology and experimental plasma physics.

There are no barriers between different branches of engineering. The department is involved in a great deal of multidisciplinary and collaborative research with groups in other departments, from archaeology to zoology. 

The department has an excellent record of engagement with industry and of translating research results into real-world applications. It has generated numerous successful spin-out companies.

The department offers a range of research degrees, including four-year programmes as part of several specialised Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs).

The University expects to be able to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across the collegiate University in 2024-25. You will be automatically considered for the majority of Oxford scholarships , if you fulfil the eligibility criteria and submit your graduate application by the relevant December or January deadline. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential. 

For further details about searching for funding as a graduate student visit our dedicated Funding pages, which contain information about how to apply for Oxford scholarships requiring an additional application, details of external funding, loan schemes and other funding sources.

Please ensure that you visit individual college websites for details of any college-specific funding opportunities using the links provided on our college pages or below:

Please note that not all the colleges listed above may accept students on this course. For details of those which do, please refer to the College preference section of this page.

Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the department's website.

Modular course fees

The fees for this course are charged on a modular basis. You will pay an annual course fee and an additional fee for each module studied. A minimum of two annual course fees are payable for this course. If this course includes a dissertation, three module fees will be charged for the dissertation.

The annual course fee differs depending on whether you enter the MSc directly, or whether you first complete the PGCert in Nanotechnology , as shown below. Please refer to the course page on the department’s website for further information about the fee structure (see under Further Information and Enquiries ) .  

Fees for the 2024-25 academic year (direct entry to MSc)

Further details about fee status eligibility can be found on the fee status webpage.

Fees for the 2024-25 academic year (entry following PGCert in Nanotechnology)

Information about course fees

Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges .

Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.

Where can I find further information about fees?

The Fees and Funding  section of this website provides further information about course fees , including information about fee status and eligibility  and your length of fee liability .

Additional information

Please note that this course requires that you attend in Oxford for teaching, and you may incur additional travel and accommodation expenses for this. Further, as part of your course requirements, you may need to choose a dissertation, a project or a thesis topic. Depending on your choice of topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

Living costs

In addition to your course fees, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.

For the 2024-25 academic year, the range of likely living costs for full-time study is between c. £1,345 and £1,955 for each month spent in Oxford. Full information, including a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs, is available on our living costs page. The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. When planning your finances for any future years of study in Oxford beyond 2024-25, it is suggested that you allow for potential increases in living expenses of around 5% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. UK inflationary increases will be kept under review and this page updated.

If you are studying part-time your living costs may vary depending on your personal circumstances but you must still ensure that you will have sufficient funding to meet these costs for the duration of your course.

Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs). 

If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief  introduction to the college system at Oxford  and our  advice about expressing a college preference . For some courses, the department may have provided some additional advice below to help you decide.

The following colleges accept students on the MSc in Nanotechnology for Medicine and Health Care:

• Kellogg College
• Reuben College
• St Catherine's College
• Wycliffe Hall

Before you apply

Our  guide to getting started  provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

If it's important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under a December or January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance . Check the deadlines on this page and the  information about deadlines and when to apply  in our Application Guide.

Application fee waivers

An application fee of £75 is payable per course application. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:

• applicants from low-income countries;
• refugees and displaced persons; 
• UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and 
• applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.

You are encouraged to  check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver  before you apply.

Readmission for current Oxford graduate taught students

If you're currently studying for an Oxford graduate taught course and apply to this course with no break in your studies, you may be eligible to apply to this course as a readmission applicant. The application fee will be waived for an eligible application of this type. Check whether you're eligible to apply for readmission .

Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?

You do not need to make contact with the department before you apply but you are encouraged to visit the relevant departmental webpages to read any further information about your chosen course.

Completing your application

You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents .

For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application .

If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.

Referees: Three overall, academic and/or professional

Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.

Professional references are acceptable if these are relevant to the course.

Your references will support your academic ability and suitability for your chosen programme of study. Referees should provide any other information they consider to be relevant to your application. If they have knowledge of your recent study, it would be helpful if they could indicate the standard attained.

Official transcript(s)

Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.

More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.

Statement of purpose/personal statement and research proposal: Statement of a maximum of 500 words and proposal of a maximum of 500 words

You should combine your statement of purpose and research proposal into a single document with clear sub-headings for each item in order to upload this to your application.

Your statement of purpose should briefly explain your motivation for graduate study at Oxford. You should also submit an outlined proposal for a research study that is appropriate to the aims of the course, well-designed and feasible. Your proposal should identify your proposed research project and outline the scope and treatment of the project. 

There are no restrictions on font size or line spacing, although both your statement and proposal should be clearly legible and written in English.

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.

This will be assessed for your reasons for applying to this particular programme of study; what relevant academic, research, or practical experience you have; and which areas of study within the subject especially interest you. Although not required at this stage, you are encouraged to outline some initial ideas for your proposed research project.

If you hold an undergraduate degree in biology, pharmacy or medicine, rather than a mathematical or physical sciences discipline, you should include a short statement about the level of your knowledge of mathematics and physics.

Start or continue your application

You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please  refer to the requirements above  and  consult our Application Guide for advice . You'll find the answers to most common queries in our FAQs.

Application Guide   Apply

ADMISSION STATUS

Open - applications are still being accepted

Up to a week's notice of closure will be provided on this page - no other notification will be given

12:00 midday UK time on:

Friday 19 January 2024 Latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships

Friday 1 March 2024 Applications may remain open after this deadline if places are still available - see below

A later deadline shown under 'Admission status' If places are still available,  applications may be accepted after 1 March . The 'Admissions status' (above) will provide notice of any later deadline.

*Three-year average (applications for entry in 2021-22 to 2023-24)

Further information and enquiries

This course is offered jointly by the  Department for Continuing Education  and the Department of Engineering Science

• Course page on the Cont. Education website
• Funding information from Cont. Education
• Staff  and  research in Continuing Education
• Staff and research in Biomedical Engineering
• Continuing Education Graduate School
• Postgraduate applicant privacy policy

Course-related enquiries

Advice about contacting the department can be found in the How to apply section of this page

✉ [email protected] ☎ +44 (0)1865 286955

Application-process enquiries

See the application guide

Other courses to consider

You may also wish to consider applying to other courses that are similar or related to this course:

View related courses

Visa eligibility for part-time study

We are unable to sponsor student visas for part-time study on this course. Part-time students may be able to attend on a visitor visa for short blocks of time only (and leave after each visit) and will need to remain based outside the UK.

The Focus in Nanomedicine will NOT be offered for the 2023/24 Academic Year.

Below is a video of the Informational Webinar led by Nanomedicine Focus Faculty Director and BUnano Center Director, Professor Mark Grinstaff, 1/8/2018:

Nanotechnologies present new opportunities for advancing medical science and disease treatment in human health care. The Focus Area in Nanomedicine was developed for MS students in Biomedical Engineering who seek to apply nanoscience and nanotechnology to medical challenges. This program offers students a structured path for acquiring unique interdisciplinary knowledge and skill sets to advance and distinguish themselves in this growing sector. Graduates are prepared to use their nanotechnology skills in industry and consulting careers or future training in MD, PhD, or MD/PhD programs.

Students who opt to complete the MS with a Focus in Nanomedicine fulfill the standard Biomedical Engineering MS requirements, but their coursework will be concentrated on nanomedicine topics and their project must directly relate to challenges in nanomedicine. Elective courses are drawn from the College of Engineering, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and the Medical School, to expose students to the range of faculty expertise and perspectives that inform this interdisciplinary field. Through coursework and guided research, students focusing on nanomedicine will learn how to integrate knowledge, ideas, and skills from multiple disciplines, to apply nanotechnology to medical challenges.

The MS in Biomedical Engineering with a Focus in Nanomedicine is the vision of BUnano in collaboration with the Department of Medicine’s Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research and the College of Engineering .  We foster clinician and scientist collaborations through interactions at all stages of research and pre-clinical development. This collaborative program is part of BUnano’s commitment to interdisciplinary research and training of young scientists and bridges the resources of the School of Medicine and the College of Engineering. (The Focus in Nanomedicine will not be offered in the 2023/24 academic year)

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Wilmer Eye Institute

Drug delivery and nanotechnology.

Basic science and drug discovery efforts at the Wilmer Eye Institute and Johns Hopkins have unearthed a myriad of exciting pathways and therapeutic targets underlying the pathogenesis of ocular diseases and disorders. However, there is often a disconnect between the phenomena studied in cell and tissue culture systems and observing meaningful biological outcomes in preclinical animal models and in human clinical studies.

Often, this is not because the drug, gene, or protein of interest does not “work”, but because it does not reach the cells and tissue of interest at therapeutic levels without dose-limiting toxicities at other sites in the body. Therein lies the promise of “nanomedicine-based drug delivery”, where nanoscale particle-based or device-based platform technologies provide sustained, targeted delivery to the cells and tissues of interest to exert a superior therapeutic effect with fewer doses and diminished off-target toxicities.

Further, nanomedicine can also be utilized to enhance basic research at all levels, including more effective and targeted delivery of inducers for gene expression in genetically engineered animals, and delivery of genes or small molecules to cultured cells to promote transition to desired phenotypes. The Drug Delivery and Nanotechnology (DD&N) module, led by faculty in Wilmer’s Center for Nanomedicine (CNM), provides these services and more to enhance the research efforts of our vision research community.

Learn more about the Center for Nanomedicine

Module Directors

Kannan rangaramanujam, phd.

• Co-Director, Center for Nanomedicine
• Professor of Ophthalmology

Laura Ensign-Hodges, PhD

• Marcella E. Woll Professor of Ophthalmology

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Alexander V. Kabanov , PhD

Adjunct Professor Director Mescal Swain Ferguson Distinguished Prof

Alexander V. Kabanov, Ph.D., Dr.Sci.

Director, center for nanotechnology in drug delivery, mescal swain ferguson distinguished professor, center for nanotechnology in drug delivery, adjunct professor, unc department of biomedical engineering, current projects, honors and awards.

Alexander “Sasha” Kabanov, Ph.D., D.Sc., is the Mescal S. Ferguson Distinguished Professor and director of the  Center for Nanotechnology in Drug Delivery  at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy and co-director of the  Carolina Institute for Nanomedicine  at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Kabanov began his academic journey at M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU), where he graduated in 1984. He continued his studies at the same institution, earning a Ph.D. in 1987 and a D.Sc. in 1990. His scientific career took root in the Soviet Union and later transitioned to the United States. From 1994 to 2012, Kabanov was affiliated with the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. During his tenure there, he established the first academic nanomedicine center in the United States in 2004.

In 2012, Kabanov moved to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where his research focuses on several key areas.

• Polymeric Micelles : Kabanov co-developed the first polymeric micelle drug that entered clinical trials for cancer treatment, thereby establishing polymeric micelles as a clinically approved drug delivery platform.
• Polyplexes : Kabanov was among the first to use polycations and later, cationic block copolymers for delivering nucleic acids into cells. He evaluated core-shell polyelectrolyte complexes of nucleic acids and polypeptides, now known as “polyplexes”, for therapeutic drug and gene delivery.
• Nanogels, Nanoparticle-Macrophage Carriers, and Exosomes : These have been utilized for delivering small drugs, nucleic acids, and polypeptides to treat cancers and diseases of the central nervous system.

Kabanov is a highly cited researcher, with over 340 scientific papers (garnering over 50,000 citations, and a Google h-index greater than 115), 36 US patents, and has co-founded several pharmaceutical companies. His cumulative research support in academia has been over $120 million.

Kabanov has mentored more than 80 graduate students and postdocs, half of whom are women and underrepresented minorities. Nineteen past members of Kabanov laboratory hold faculty appointments. He is the director of the NCI’s T32 training program in Cancer Nanotechnology .

Kabanov also established symposium series in nanomedicine and drug delivery , chaired Gordon Research Conferences, and received numerous honors and awards, including the Lenin Komsomol Prize, NSF Career award, George Gamow award, and the Controlled Release Society (CRS) Founders award.

Kabanov is an elected member or fellow of prestigious academies and organizations, including Academia Europaea, Russian Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Inventors, American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, and CRS. He has served as the past President and current CEO of the Russian American Science Association, director-at-large for CRS (2019-2022), and chair of the CRS College of Fellows sub-committee (2022-2023).

Education, Certification and Licensure

• 1990: Doctor of Chemical Sciences (D.Sc.) in Chemical Kinetics and Catalysis and Biochemistry at Moscow State University
• 1984 – 1987: Candidate of Chemical Sciences (Ph.D. equivalent) in Chemical Kinetics and Catalysis at Moscow State University
• 1979 – 1984: Diploma with distinction (M.S. equivalent) in Chemistry at Moscow State University

Courses and Lectures

DPMP 862/863 “Special Topics in Advanced Pharmaceutics” 3 cr.

Office Hours

By appointment only

Google Scholar

Lab Website

Twitter @alkabanov

ORCID iD: 0000-0002-3665-946X

• Carolina Cancer Nanotechnology Training Program (C-CNTP)
• Towards Translation of Nanoformulated Paclitaxel-Platinum Combination
• Extracellular Vesicles for CNS Delivery of Therapeutic Enzymes to Treat Lysosomal Storage Disorders
• Cell-based Platform for Gene Delivery to the Brain

Highly Cited Researcher: Thompson Reuters/Clarivate Analytics – Pharmacology & Toxicology (2014, 2018, 2021)

Huang, Kabanov and Roth Recognized for Research Influence

Three faculty members from the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy were recognized on the Clarivate Analytics list of Highly Cited Researchers for 2018. Leaf Huang, Ph.D., Alexander Kabanov, Ph.D., Dr.Sci., and Bryan Roth, Ph.D., M.D., were among 6,000 scientists worldwide … Read more

Kabanov Named President of Russian-American Scientists Association

Alexander Kabanov, Ph.D., Dr.Sci., assumed office as president of the Russian-American Scientists Association (RASA-America) on Nov. 5. Kabanov is the Mescal S. Ferguson Distinguished Professor and director of the Center for Nanotechnology in Drug Delivery at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy and … Read more

Kabanov Elected 2018 Controlled Release Society Fellow

Alexander “Sasha” Kabanov, Ph.D., Dr. Sci., has been selected for membership in the College of Fellows of the Controlled Release Society for his “outstanding contributions to the field of delivery science and technology.” Kabanov will be inducted into the college … Read more

Kabanov Receives TBJ Life Sciences Award

Alexander “Sasha” Kabanov, Ph.D., Dr. Sci., is a recipient of a 2018 Life Sciences Award from the Triangle Business Journal. Kabanov was nominated in the category of Outstanding Individual Research from Universities or Research Institutes. The award was presented at … Read more

Third Carolina Nanoformulation Workshop Shares Discoveries in Nanomedicine

From March 12 to 16, scientists from industry and academia came together at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy to learn about the latest advances in nanomedicine and to get hands-on experience with advanced nanoformulations at the third annual Carolina … Read more

Kabanov to Lead Russian-American Science Society

Alexander “Sasha” Kabanov, Ph.D., Dr.Sci., is the president-elect of the Russian-American Science Association. Kabanov was elected to his new post at the organization’s annual meeting at Northwestern University in Chicago on Nov. 4 and 5, where he also received the … Read more

Kabanov Elected to National Academy of Inventors

Alexander “Sasha” Kabanov, Ph.D., Dr.Sci., Mescal Swaim Feruguson Distinguished Professor at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, has been named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, the organization announced Tuesday. Kabanov is the director of the School’s Center … Read more

Kabanov Meets with President of Armenia

Alexander “Sasha” Kabanov, Ph.D., met with the president of Armenia on Nov. 8 as part of a group of participants in the second All-Armenian Scientific Conference held in the capital city of Yerevan on November 5-8. The delegation consisted of … Read more

Postdoc Elizabeth Wayne Reflects on TED Experience

Elizabeth Wayne, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow studying how immune cells can be used to fight cancer, gave a TED talk on the main stage at TED 2017 in Vancouver, Canada. Wayne was announced as a TED fellow in January 2017. … Read more

Yuhang Jiang Wins UNC Grad School Impact Award

Yuhang Jiang, Ph.D., a December 2016 graduate of the pharmaceutical sciences doctoral program at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, has received a 2017 Horizon Award from the UNC Graduate School for his research into a treatment to repair the … Read more

Nanotechnology and Regenerative Medicine MSc

London, Hampstead (Royal Free Hospital)

Nanotechnology and regenerative medicine are rapidly expanding fields and have the potential to revolutionise modern medicine. This renowned cross-disciplinary master's programme gives you a robust scientific understanding in these fields, combined with a hands-on practical and translational focus.

UK tuition fees (2024/25)

Overseas tuition fees (2024/25), programme starts, applications accepted.

Applications open

• Entry requirements

A minimum of a second-class UK Bachelor's degree in a science/engineering subject or a medical degree, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Research experience will also be taken into account.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website .

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

This MSc Nanotechnology and Regenerative Medicine equips you with a critical understanding of how nanotechnology and regenerative medicine technologies can be used for the improved detection and treatment of disease.

You will learn about the use of stem cells in medicine, tissue engineering for tissue and organ regeneration, and the use of biomaterials for directing cell behaviour. We cover the regulatory, ethical, and commercial hurdles involved in translating these emerging technologies into products that can benefit patients.

Our modules are offered by blended learning, which includes a mix of face-to-face teaching and online study. If you study with us full-time, you will be on campus most days each week.

The MSc offers an exciting opportunity to study within the world-leading medical research environment of the UCL Division of Surgery & Interventional Science. You will focus on real medical needs, work on your own cutting-edge research, and graduate in a strong position to pursue a career in nanomedicine or regenerative medicine.

Who this course is for

The programme is designed to be accessible to students from a large number of disciplines, ranging from medicine and biology to physics, chemistry and engineering. The majority of students come from a biomedical background.

What this course will give you

This programme offers you the following benefits and opportunities.

• The opportunity to study within the world-leading medical research environment of the UCL Division of Surgery & Interventional Science.
• Get a cutting edge and critical insight into emerging medical technologies, which are embedded in feasibility and robust science.
• An understanding of how research ideas are translated into actual products that can benefit patients.
• Expert support for your in-depth research project, enabling you to investigate cutting-edge projects and open up opportunities for further research and publications.
• A chance to be embedded within the vibrant research community of the Faculty of Medical Sciences and its research networks.
• Gain exposure to research seminars, symposia, and eminent guest lecturers, and build outstanding networking opportunities within the research, clinical and translational science communities.

The foundation of your career

Student career options and progression during and after the degree are of the utmost importance. Personal tutors will offer individual advice and seminars are arranged on a variety of career competencies, including CV writing, writing research proposals and positive personal presentation.

The main thing I enjoy about the division is the people I get to work with - some of the leaders in the field, the other students. There's a wealth of experience. Maooz Awan Nanotechnology and Regenerative Medicine, MSc What our students say

Employability

Our graduates gain the transferable laboratory skills, cutting-edge knowledge, science communication skills, and critical thinking, which are needed to pursue a career in the scientific or clinical research within the fields in nanomedicine and regenerative medicine.

Networking with world-leading scientists, new biotechnology industries and clinicians is encouraged and enabled throughout the programme. Research output in terms of publishing papers and presenting at conferences is also promoted.

Recent career destinations include:

• Studying PhDs (including at world-leading universities such as UCL, Imperial College London Oxford and Cambridge)
• Clinical PhD training programmes
• NHS hospitals in the UK
• Research positions in academia or industry across the globe.
• Scientific consultancies.

There are regular networking opportunities, including events where you can hear from expert speakers. We encourage students to broaden their skills and expand their networks by attending and participating at conferences.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a mix of lectures, tutorials, workshops, group discussions, online learning, and practical sessions.

Assessment is through online multiple-choice questions, coursework, and both open-book and closed-book examinations. The project is assessed through the dissertation and viva. Candidates are examined in the year in which they complete the programme.

Contact hours will vary across modules but taught modules take a blended-learning approach, which includes live, face-to-face teaching and online learning, with a full-time student expected to be on campus most days each week.

Most lab-based projects will expect you to be attending every weekday. Non-lab-based projects such as systematic reviews or computer modelling are also available.

Please note, it is not possible to complete the course without face-to-face content. You will be expected to undertake significant self-directed study to support the contact hours.

A Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits) is offered in flexible/modular study mode only, over a maximum two years. The programme consists of two core modules (30 credits) and two optional modules (30 credits).

Full-time study is split into three terms.

You will study research methodologies, develop your research data analysis skills, and build up a basic understanding of the field through the compulsory taught modules on 'Nanotechnology in Medicine' and 'Biomaterials'. You will also attend an extensive laboratory module where you will learn cell culture, cell characterisation and good laboratory practice. This module will also provide you with the practical laboratory skills to prepare for the research project.

There are also co-curriculum activities to support your studies, a journal club to critically engage with the field, and basic biology and basic chemistry workshops to support your studies in this interdisciplinary subject. 

Research seminars will also connect you to the research performed within the department. You will gain an understanding of the challenges in the field and be supported in choosing your own research project.

The taught modules continue with a compulsory module on Tissue Engineering. Here, there is a focus on critical appraisal of the scientific literature. There is also an optional module in either Translational Science (a hands-on module that teaches you about the translational pathway) or Stem Cell Therapies.

You will start working on your research project in this term and complete the optional modules and taught assessments.

You will continue with your research project. This will be aligned to your supervisor's expertise and worth 50% of the final programme mark. You will join research-active teams from a wide range of related fields, including stem cell therapy, 3D printing, directing stem cell differentiation, growing 3D tissues and orthopaedic implant science.

In year one, you will complete four taught core modules: 'Research Methodology', 'Tissue Engineering', 'Biomaterials' and the 'Laboratory Practical'.

In year two, you will complete one core module, such as 'Nanotechnology' and one optional module from either 'Translation of Nanomedicine' or 'Stem Cells' and their applications in surgery. You will also complete your research project.

The timetable follows the full-time structure and you must be available to attend the modules you are registered for whenever they are delivered. Please contact the programme director ( [email protected] ) for details about the demands of this programme as a part-time student.

You can select as many or as few modules as you like each year. You complete your research project in your final year.

The timetable follows the full-time structure, and you must be available to attend the modules you are registered for whenever they are delivered.

Compulsory modules

Optional modules.

Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MSc in Nanotechnology and Regenerative Medicine. Upon successful completion of 60 credits, you will be awarded a PG Cert in Nanotechnology and Regenerative Medicine.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk . Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing team .

Where you'll study

As world leaders in medical and biomedical research, we design innovative courses for clinicians and scientists that meet new patient and industry needs. These are led by some of the greatest scientific minds, so you get a research-based learning experience. Our cutting-edge expertise ensures that you will be taught the latest techniques using the most advanced equipment. Our activities are split across three sites. Our Department of Targeted Intervention is based at Bloomsbury campus in central London. Our Department of Surgical Biotechnology is based at the Royal Free campus in Hampstead. Our Department of Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal Science is based at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore, north-west London.

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Burns, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery MSc

This online session provides you with an overview of our MSc Burns, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery programme. The programme overview is followed by a Q&A session with our programme leads. Speaker: Prof Deepak Kalaskar, Programme Lead and Deputy Director MSc Burns Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course.

Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis .

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees .

Additional costs

The core textbooks for all modules are available in the UCL Libraries and journal articles in your reading lists are also mostly available electronically from our e-resources. Some students like to purchase their own textbooks or to print course documents. We suggest allowing £200 per year for this.

Students pay for a DBS check, if required for your programme (or placement, if relevant). This can cost between £25-£44, according to GOV.UK .

You also face the costs of travel to teaching, work placements or project locations. Find out about the cost of using public transport at Transport for London .

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs .

Funding your studies

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website .

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications and £115 for paper applications. Further information can be found at Application fees .

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

• why you want to study Nanotechnology and Regenerative Medicine at UCL
• what particularly attracts you to this programme
• how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this programme
• where you would like to go professionally with your degree.

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2024-2025

Got questions get in touch.

Division of Surgery and Interventional Science

[email protected]

UCL is regulated by the Office for Students .

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ResearchTweet

12 fully funded phd position in nanoscience & nanotechnology at university of cambridge, england i research tweet.

• Post published: May 26, 2021
• Reading time: 2 mins read

Summary Of PhD Position:

We welcome applicants from across Physical Sciences including Chemistry, Physics, Materials and Engineering. Applicants will be shortlisted based on their written applications, taking into account qualifications, aspirations and experience.

About PhD Position:

We provide bespoke training in key areas of Nano, to translate exploratory nanoscience into impactful technologies, and to stimulate new interdisciplinary interactions in Nanoscience. The MRes year provides high-quality advanced-level training through lecture courses, hands-on practicals and two 8-week and one 13-week long experimental projects, prior to final selection of interdisciplinary PhD research projects between two research groups in the Departments of Physics, Chemistry, Engineering, Materials or another relevant department across the University.

How To Apply?

All applicants with non-UK qualifications should see this link to find out what grades and degrees they need to have achieved in order to meet the equivalent academic entry requirements. Applicants should have an interest in innovation, nanoscience and nanotechnology, and be motivated to work across traditional disciplinary boundaries.

Official Notification

About the university:.

Cambridge is a globally diverse institution and our students come from over 147 different countries. Our researchers collaborate with colleagues worldwide, and the University has established partnerships in Asia, Africa, the Americas and Europe. As of September 2018, Cambridge had more than 298,000 living alumni, with significant numbers in the UK, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, Singapore and the USA.

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Nanoscience and Nanotechnology in Canada

6  Nanoscience and Nanotechnology PhDs in Canada

Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering - Nanotechnology In order to be admitted to PhD Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering - Nanotechnology candidacy, applicants... University of Waterloo Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Systems Design Engineering - Nanotechnology The Department of Systems Design Engineering at the University of Waterloo is a globally unique... University of Waterloo Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Physics - Nanotechnology Students with an undergraduate degree in Physics may apply for admission directly to the Physics -... University of Waterloo Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Electrical and Computer Engineering - Nanotechnology Admission to the Electrical and Computer Engineering - Nanotechnology program at University of Waterloo is... University of Waterloo Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Chemistry - Nanotechnology Chemistry is often referred to as the “central science” and with good reason: it is foundational in areas such... University of Waterloo Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Chemical Engineering - Nanotechnology We offer a phd degree in Chemical Engineering - Nanotechnology at University of Waterloo. Ranked among the top... University of Waterloo Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Study in Canada

Canada is one of the most popular study destinations in the world due to its high focus on the quality of its universities and its emphasis on attracting international students who can later immigrate. Canadians are very welcoming to international students and they invest a lot into making sure students are safe, treated fairly, and enjoy their stay in the country. Study in one of the strongest economies in the world while enjoying a high living standard and a flexible study environment. Classes have smaller student groups ensuring everyone gets the attention they need, and encouraging group assignments and debates.

Is Canada the right place for you?

Take the test and find out which country is your best fit.

Explore your Nanoscience and Nanotechnology degree

Nanoscience and Nanotechnology students explore ways to take advantage of nanoscale materials’ enhanced properties and use this knowledge to improve and innovate a wide range of industries, such as medicine and pharmacy, food and industrial agriculture, energy, environmental sciences, or the aerospace industry.

Is Nanoscience and Nanotechnology the best for you?

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IEEE.org  |  IEEE Xplore Digital Library  |  IEEE Standards  |  IEEE Spectrum  |  More Sites

Nanotechnology Degrees

TryNano.org has compiled lists of universities throughout the world that offer a range of degrees or concentrations in nanotechnology.

Find Nanotechnology Degrees

Many universities around the globe that currently offer nanotechnology degrees — and the list is growing. TryNano.org has compiled a comprehensive global of universities offering associate, certificate, undergraduate, graduate, and PhD programs in Nanotechnology. 

If you are seeking a course in nanotechnology as opposed to a specific degree, please note that many universities now offer individual courses in nanotechnology, and some offer concentrations in nanotechnology within another degree such as mechanical engineering.  We recommend you reach out to each university you are considering to confirm the current availability of nanotechnology offerings at all degree levels, as these may change over time.

If you are aware of a program not on our list, or have updates to a current listing, please contact us with additional details so that we may research your suggestions.

Below you may search by country, and degree type, including certificate, associate, bachelor’s, master’s and PhD programs.

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June 18, 2024

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

fact-checked

peer-reviewed publication

trusted source

Scientists use tyrosine nanomedicine to halt melanoma growth

by University of Technology, Sydney

An international research team used a common amino acid, tyrosine, packaged as a nanomedicine, to change the metabolism of melanoma, a deadly skin cancer, and prevent cancer growth.

Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world. This new approach could be combined with current therapies to better treat melanoma . The technique also has the potential to treat other types of cancer.

The study, "Nutrient-delivery and metabolism reactivation therapy for melanoma" , was led by Professor Wenbo Bu from Fudan University and Professor Dayong Jin from the University of Technology Sydney, and has been published in Nature Nanotechnology .

Tyrosine has limited bioavailability in living organisms. However, the researchers used a new nanotechnology technique to package it into tiny particles called nanomicelles, which are attracted to cancer cell membranes, and break down easily, boosting absorption.

The research team then tested the innovative treatment in mice and in human-derived melanoma cells in the lab and found that the tyrosine nanomicelles reactivated dormant metabolic pathways , triggered melanin synthesis, and inhibited tumor growth.

"Uncontrolled rapid growth is a key feature that distinguishes cancer cells from normal cells. In cancer cells some metabolic pathways are over-activated, and others are suppressed, to create the environment necessary for rapid spread," said Professor Jin.

"While a few metabolism-based drugs for cancer have been developed previously, such as aromatase inhibitors impeding estrogen synthesis in breast cancer and HK2 inhibitors targeting glycolysis in various cancers, these work by suppressing over-activated metabolic pathways," he said.

"Our research shows for the first time that cancer can be stopped by reactivating metabolic pathways that are dormant. And this can be done using simple nutrients, such as amino acids , sugars, and vitamins, which are safe, readily available and well tolerated," said Professor Bu.

Different types of cancer will respond to different nutrients. Melanoma cells develop from melanocytes—skin cells that produce melanin. Tyrosine is needed to produce melanin and it can stimulate melanin production, hence its effectiveness with melanoma.

The reactivation of melanin synthesis forces the melanoma cell to reduce glycolysis, the process of converting sugar to energy, which is believed to be the mechanism for its anti-cancer effect.

Melanoma cells are also susceptible to heat stress. The researchers found that by combining tyrosine nanomicelle treatment with near-infrared laser treatment, they were able to eradicate melanoma in mice after six days and it did not reoccur during the study period.

The findings suggest a promising new frontier in the use of nanomedicine for cancer therapy.

Journal information: Nature Nanotechnology

Provided by University of Technology, Sydney

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Researchers demonstrate the first chip-based 3D printer

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Imagine a portable 3D printer you could hold in the palm of your hand. The tiny device could enable a user to rapidly create customized, low-cost objects on the go, like a fastener to repair a wobbly bicycle wheel or a component for a critical medical operation.

Researchers from MIT and the University of Texas at Austin took a major step toward making this idea a reality by demonstrating the first chip-based 3D printer. Their proof-of-concept device consists of a single, millimeter-scale photonic chip that emits reconfigurable beams of light into a well of resin that cures into a solid shape when light strikes it.

The prototype chip has no moving parts, instead relying on an array of tiny optical antennas to steer a beam of light. The beam projects up into a liquid resin that has been designed to rapidly cure when exposed to the beam’s wavelength of visible light.

By combining silicon photonics and photochemistry, the interdisciplinary research team was able to demonstrate a chip that can steer light beams to 3D print arbitrary two-dimensional patterns, including the letters M-I-T. Shapes can be fully formed in a matter of seconds.

In the long run, they envision a system where a photonic chip sits at the bottom of a well of resin and emits a 3D hologram of visible light, rapidly curing an entire object in a single step.

This type of portable 3D printer could have many applications, such as enabling clinicians to create tailor-made medical device components or allowing engineers to make rapid prototypes at a job site.

“This system is completely rethinking what a 3D printer is. It is no longer a big box sitting on a bench in a lab creating objects, but something that is handheld and portable. It is exciting to think about the new applications that could come out of this and how the field of 3D printing could change,” says senior author Jelena Notaros, the Robert J. Shillman Career Development Professor in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS), and a member of the Research Laboratory of Electronics.

Joining Notaros on the paper are Sabrina Corsetti, lead author and EECS graduate student; Milica Notaros PhD ’23; Tal Sneh, an EECS graduate student; Alex Safford, a recent graduate of the University of Texas at Austin; and Zak Page, an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at UT Austin. The research appears today in Nature Light Science and Applications .

Printing with a chip

Experts in silicon photonics, the Notaros group previously developed integrated optical-phased-array systems that steer beams of light using a series of microscale antennas fabricated on a chip using semiconductor manufacturing processes. By speeding up or delaying the optical signal on either side of the antenna array, they can move the beam of emitted light in a certain direction.

Such systems are key for lidar sensors, which map their surroundings by emitting infrared light beams that bounce off nearby objects. Recently, the group has focused on systems that emit and steer visible light for augmented-reality applications.

They wondered if such a device could be used for a chip-based 3D printer.

At about the same time they started brainstorming, the Page Group at UT Austin demonstrated specialized resins that can be rapidly cured using wavelengths of visible light for the first time. This was the missing piece that pushed the chip-based 3D printer into reality.

“With photocurable resins, it is very hard to get them to cure all the way up at infrared wavelengths, which is where integrated optical-phased-array systems were operating in the past for lidar,” Corsetti says. “Here, we are meeting in the middle between standard photochemistry and silicon photonics by using visible-light-curable resins and visible-light-emitting chips to create this chip-based 3D printer. You have this merging of two technologies into a completely new idea.”

Their prototype consists of a single photonic chip containing an array of 160-nanometer-thick optical antennas. (A sheet of paper is about 100,000 nanometers thick.) The entire chip fits onto a U.S. quarter.

When powered by an off-chip laser, the antennas emit a steerable beam of visible light into the well of photocurable resin. The chip sits below a clear slide, like those used in microscopes, which contains a shallow indentation that holds the resin. The researchers use electrical signals to nonmechanically steer the light beam, causing the resin to solidify wherever the beam strikes it.

A collaborative approach

But effectively modulating visible-wavelength light, which involves modifying its amplitude and phase, is especially tricky. One common method requires heating the chip, but this is inefficient and takes a large amount of physical space.

Instead, the researchers used liquid crystal to fashion compact modulators they integrate onto the chip. The material’s unique optical properties enable the modulators to be extremely efficient and only about 20 microns in length.

A single waveguide on the chip holds the light from the off-chip laser. Running along the waveguide are tiny taps which tap off a little bit of light to each of the antennas.

The researchers actively tune the modulators using an electric field, which reorients the liquid crystal molecules in a certain direction. In this way, they can precisely control the amplitude and phase of light being routed to the antennas.

But forming and steering the beam is only half the battle. Interfacing with a novel photocurable resin was a completely different challenge.

The Page Group at UT Austin worked closely with the Notaros Group at MIT, carefully adjusting the chemical combinations and concentrations to zero-in on a formula that provided a long shelf-life and rapid curing.

In the end, the group used their prototype to 3D print arbitrary two-dimensional shapes within seconds.

Building off this prototype, they want to move toward developing a system like the one they originally conceptualized — a chip that emits a hologram of visible light in a resin well to enable volumetric 3D printing in only one step.

“To be able to do that, we need a completely new silicon-photonics chip design. We already laid out a lot of what that final system would look like in this paper. And, now, we are excited to continue working towards this ultimate demonstration,” Jelena Notaros says.

This work was funded, in part, by the U.S. National Science Foundation, the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Robert A. Welch Foundation, the MIT Rolf G. Locher Endowed Fellowship, and the MIT Frederick and Barbara Cronin Fellowship.

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• MIT Photonics and Electronics Research Group
• Research Laboratory of Electronics
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• 3-D printing
• Nanoscience and nanotechnology
• Electronics
• Electrical Engineering & Computer Science (eecs)
• National Science Foundation (NSF)
• Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

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