Our work is at the interface of biotechnology and materials science. A major focus is the study and development of polymers to deliver drugs, particularly genetically engineered proteins and DNA, continuously at controlled rates for prolonged periods of time.
Work is in progress in the following areas:
Our interest in drug delivery systems has extended to situations where drugs may serve a potentially useful purpose and then cause toxicity. In such cases, it would be useful to have a selective drug or substance removal system. Examples include removal of heparin, bilirubin, and cholesterol. All of these studies involve reactor design, understanding biomaterials with respect to blood interactions, and modeling of in vivo situations.
In addition, we are developing drugs that specifically inhibit the process of neovascularization without interfering with existing blood vessels. Neovascularization is critical to the progression of several diseases, including cancer and many diseases that cause blindness. The projects involve biochemical purification and tissue culture studies.
Finally, we have been involved in creating approaches to engineer new tissues. In particular, we are synthesizing new biodegradable polymer systems to be used in mammalian cell transplants to create liver, cartilage, and nerves, and are developing bioreactors for these purposes.
Lahann, J., Mitragotri, S., Tran, T., Kaido, H., Sundaran, J., Hoffer, S., Somorjai, G. A., Langer, R. Reversible switching of surfaces, Science, 299: 371-374, 2003.
Lee, P., Langer, R., Shastri, V., Novel microemulsion enhancer formulation for simultaneous transdermal delivery of hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs, Pharmaceutical Research, 20: 261-266, 2003.
Sasiskharan, R., Rational design of low molecular weight heparins with improved in vivo activity, PNAS, 100: 651-656, 2003.
Radisic M., Euloth M., Yang L., Langer R., Freed L.E., Vunjak-Novaakovic G, High density seeding of myocyte cells for tissue engineering, Biotech. & Bioeng., 82: 403-414, 2003.
Langer, R. Where a pill won't go, Scientific American, 288: 50-57, 2003.
LaVan, D., George, P.M, Langer, R., Simple three-dimensional microfabrication of electrodeposited structures, Angewandte Chemie, 42: 1262-1265, 2003.
Yu, B., Kim, K.H., So, P.T.C., Blankschtein, D., Langer, R, Visualization of oleic acid-induced transdermal diffusion pathways using two-photon fluorescence microscopy., Journal of Invest. Derm., 120: 448-455, 2003.
Fu, K., Harrell, R., Zinski, K., Um, C., Frazier, J., Lotan, N., Burke, P., Klibanov, A., Langer, R., A Potential Approach for Decreasing the Burst Effect of Protein from PLGA Microspheres, Journal of Pharm. Sci., 92: 1582-1591, 2003.
Lendlein, A., and Langer, R., Biodegradable, Elastic Thermoplastic Shape Memory Polymers with Adjustable properties for potential biomedical applications, Science, 296: 1673-1676, 2002.
Langer, R., Perspectives: Drug delivery – drugs on target, Science, 293: 58-59, 2001.
Niklason, L.E., Gao, J., Abbott, W.M., Hirschi, K.K., Houser, S., Marini, R., Langer, R., Functional arteries grown in vitro, Science, 284, 489-493, 1999.
Santini, J.T. Jr., Cima, M.J., and Langer, R.: A controlled release microchip, Nature, 397- 335-338, 1999.
Langer, R., Langer, R., Drug delivery and targeting, Nature, 392 (Suppl), 5-10, 1998.
Langer, R., New methods of drug delivery, Science, 249, 1527-1533, 1990.
Langer, R. and Tirrell, D., Novel biomaterials, Nature, in press.
room E25-342
phone (617) 253-3107
email rlanger@mit.edu
phone (617) 253-3123
fax (617) 258-8827
Nancy Parkinson
phone (617) 253-3123
email nparkins@mit.edu
