Nina Erwin
Graduate Student, Pharmaceutical Sciences Program, Department of Pharmaceutics, UF College of Pharmacy
Despite recent advancements to cancer therapies, current treatment strategies often face challenges such as limited therapeutic response, off-target effects and resistance mechanisms. Therefore, novel approaches are essential to expand the effectiveness of cancer therapies across diverse patient populations and cancer types. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as an improved platform in cancer therapeutic development due to their inherent ability to mediate targeted delivery and modulate biological processes in a controlled and biocompatible manner. In this presentation, we will explore the unique properties and advantageous characteristics of EVs that contribute to their promising potential as delivery vehicles for therapeutic agents for improved precision cancer therapy. These include their natural cell targeting capabilities, intrinsic immune modulatory functions, cargo versatility, and ability to influence the tumor microenvironment. We will also highlight recent advances in EV engineering aimed at improving production, cargo loading and functional targeting of EVs. By leveraging engineered EV platforms, we can strengthen the therapeutic potential of EVs and augment their development as a highly functional oncological treatment strategy, overcoming current barriers in therapeutic efficacy and clinical translation. Ultimately, EVs may enhance the delivery and performance of a wide range of cancer therapeutics, offering a new frontier in the design of more effective and patient-tailored treatment strategies.
Nina Erwin is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Pharmaceutics in the University of Florida in the College of Pharmacy. Under the advisement of Dr. Mei He, Nina’s research focuses on the utilization of extracellular vesicles as drug-delivery vehicles for cancer immunotherapy. She aims to improve EV therapeutic delivery by enhancing their cellular production, packaging and functionalization.
Core Standards
SC.912.L.16.8 Explain the relationship between mutation, cell cycle, and uncontrolled cell growth potentially resulting in cancer.
SC.912.L.16.10 Evaluate the impact of biotechnology on the individual, society and the environment, including medical and ethical issues
SC.912.N.4.2 Weigh the merits of alternative strategies for solving a specific societal problem by comparing a number of different costs and benefits, such as human, economic, and environmental.
SC.912.N.1.6 Describe how scientific inferences are drawn from scientific observations and provide examples from the content being studied.
