UM To Lead State in New Nanobiotechnology Consortium

The foundation announced today (June 27) that it is awarding $35 million to improve research infrastructure across the nation, including the funds to create the Mississippi Nano-bio ImmunoEngineering Consortium. That association, led by Ole Miss researchers, will help seven institutions across the state bolster their research and development in the field of nanobiotechnology. 

"The big picture idea is to create a thriving multidisciplinary research network to enhance the state's capacity in biomaterials research, education and workforce development,” said Adam Smith, associate professor of biomedical and chemical engineering and lead principal investigator for the grant.  

“This represents an opportunity for Mississippi to be known as a biomaterials research hub. We want to build a foothold in a space that the state is not well represented in, and it’s building on some of the research expertise we already have in the state.” 

Nanobiotechnology works with materials at the atomic and molecular level in the health care field to better treat illnesses and improve drug delivery, among its many uses.  

“One of the most common examples of nanobiotechnology in our everyday lives is mineral sunscreen,” said Thomas Werfel, assistant professor of biomedical engineering and co-principal investigator. “The zinc oxide active ingredient in these sunscreens are nanoparticles that absorb the sun’s rays and protect your skin.  

“Another high-profile example of the impact of nanobiotechnology in today’s world is the COVID-19 vaccines that have saved millions of lives. Our consortium will now be able to conduct research on similar technologies and likely will bring new technologies to market in the coming years.” 

The association will start with three main goals, Smith said. They are:  

• Gain a better understanding of protein interactions with nanoparticles to help steer medication to a particular area of the body 
• Improve nucleic acid delivery to eliminate side effects of certain vaccines and medications 
• Facilitate healing and reduce the risk of infection in tissue regeneration.  

“For these first two projects, the goal is to be able to do things like target cancer therapeutics to only the cancerous tissue,” he said. “For the last, we want to create antibacterial polymer matrices that will both degrade over time to facilitate healing as well as provide a barrier against infection.” 

While conducting research and creating a pipeline of next-generation biomaterials, the association will also evaluate state policies and regulations influencing the growth of the biotech industry. 

“We have a wealth of potential scientists in Mississippi who are passionate about solving healthcare problems they see in their loved ones and communities, and part of the role of the consortium is to create more spaces for people to come together by pooling our skills and resources,” said Eden Tanner, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry and co-PI on the grant.  

 “Much of our work focuses on the development of new materials to provide effective delivery of drugs – and especially nano-medicines – throughout the body and has a large potential impact.” 

Ultimately, the goal is not only to do good research but to make Mississippi an ideal location for the industry, Werfel said. Nanobiotechnology is one of the fastest emerging fields of science and was valued at more than $100 billion in 2023. 

“This consortium will have a major impact on the state of Mississippi through increased research output, STEM education outreach to the state’s K-12 schools and the generation of new, patented technologies that can be taken to the marketplace and contribute to growing the Mississippi economy,” he said.  

“The infrastructure and educational opportunities that the consortium will establish will provide transformational opportunities for students interested in biotechnology, both in the classroom and outside the classroom walls.” 

The consortium includes 13 researchers from:  

• Alcorn State University  
• Jackson State University  
• Mississippi State University  
• Tougaloo University  
• University of Mississippi 
• University of Mississippi Medical Center  
• University of Southern Mississippi 

The consortium will also offer research opportunities for both graduate and undergraduate students while providing funds for more researchers across the state to join the consortium, Smith said. 

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research’s Research Incubators for STEM Excellence Research Infrastructure Improvement (EPSCoR RISE RII) grant No. 2414442. 

Top photo: (Left to right) Thomas Werfel, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, Adam Smith, associate professor of biomedical and chemical engineering and Eden Tanner, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry, are the three UM researchers on the recent grant to establish the  Mississippi Nano-bio ImmunoEngineering Consortium. Photos by Thomas Graning and Kevin Bain/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services