The Michael Lab specializes in synthetic organic chemistry and organic materials:1. Nanotechnology for the selective targeting of cancerWe generate lipid nanoparticles with encapsulated pDNA enabling transfected cells to express α-Gal which makes them susceptible for destruction by the immune system. The lipid nanoparticles are also equipped with ligands that target certain receptors over-expressed on cancer cells, thus allowing for selective transfection. Preliminary transfections are conducted in vitro, and applications in a murine model is planned. Our collaborators are Drs. Igor Almeida and Rosa Maldonado (Dept. of Biological Sciences, UTEP), Dr. Wilson Poon (Dept. of Metallurgical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, UTEP), and Dr. Manuel Penichet, (School of Medicine, UCLA).2. Biomarker discovery for Chagas disease and leishmaniasis Parasites that cause Chagas disease and leishmaniasis express unusual glycans on their cell surfaces, which are highly immunogenic in humans. Our lab synthesizes parasite-derived glycan structures and their conjugates are used as antigens in ELISA or glycoarrays to identify diagnostic biomarkers. The biological assays are carried out in the laboratory of Dr. Igor Almeida (Dept. of Biological Sciences, UTEP).3. Photochemistry of 7-nitroindolinesWe explore the photochemistry, the photolysis mechanisms, and applications of N-acyl-7-nitroindolines and similar derivatives. We have shown that the photolysis can occur by a one- or two-photon absorption mechanism. We collaborate with Dr. Chunqiang Li. (Dept. of Physics, UTEP) and Dr. Carl Dirk (Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UTEP).4. New resins for vat polymerizationWe develop new acrylamide-based resins suitable for 3D printing by photo-polymerization. Our resins are designed to resist hydrolysis in acidic environments and degradation in the presence of ionizing radiation. This project is carried out in collaboration with Dr. Yirong Lin (Dept. of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, UTEP), Dr. David Roberson (Dept. of Metallurgical, Materials and Biomedical Engineering, UTEP), and Dr. Alexandria Marchi (Los Alamos National Laboratory).