Emily Day

@thedaylab.bsky.social

Professor, Biomedical Engineering Associate Director, Institute for Engineering Driven Health University of Delaware Fellow, AIMBE My lab develops high precision nanomedicines to combat aggressive diseases. Learn more at sites.udel.edu/daygroup

My team has been developing antibody-targeted nanoparticles to combat triple-negative breast cancer for several years. We now report the influence of loading density on the cellular targeting and function of antibody nanoconjugates. Available open access at the link: pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

Loading Density Influences the Tumor Cell Targeting and Signaling Inhibition Capabilities of Antibody Nanoconjugates

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive breast cancer subtype and accounts for up to 20% of all breast cancers. Since conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy are ineffective aga...

pubs.acs.org

I am delighted to share the latest @thedaylab.bsky.social publication, "Cancer Cell Membrane-Wrapped Nanoparticles for Photothermal Therapy and Photoacoustic Imaging of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer", in ACS Applied Nano Materials. Fantastic work led by Sara Aboeleneen! pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10....

Cancer Cell Membrane-Wrapped Nanoparticles for Photothermal Therapy and Photoacoustic Imaging of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the most aggressive and challenging subtypes of breast cancer to treat, primarily due to a lack of targeted therapies. Photothermal therapy (PTT) has emerged as a promising noninvasive strategy, wherein systemically administered light-responsive nanoparticles accumulate at the tumor site and convert externally applied near-infrared light into heat, culminating in tumor ablation. Nonetheless, the clinical application of PTT is impeded by insufficient nanoparticle accumulation within tumors. We present the development of silica core/gold shell nanoshells that are coated with TNBC cell membranes (MWNS) to enhance tumor accumulation through homotypic recognition and immune evasion. We demonstrate that MWNS preferentially target 4T1 TNBC cells over EpH4-Ev noncancerous breast epithelial cells in vitro and accumulate more readily in orthotopic 4T1 TNBC tumors in mice following intravenous injection compared to poly(ethylene glycol)-coated nanoshells (PEG-NS). Congruently, MWNS improved PTT and photoacoustic (PA) imaging of TNBC cells in vitro, relative to PEG-NS. When assessed in an orthotopic syngeneic spontaneous metastasis tumor model in vivo, intravenously administered MWNS notably enhanced PA signals throughout the tumor volume by ∼7X compared to PEG-NS. Moreover, MWNS-mediated PTT inhibited tumor growth by ∼1.7X, diminished intratumoral proliferation by 2X, increased intratumoral apoptosis by 1.8X, and curtailed the formation of lung metastases by 1.8X compared with PTT mediated by PEG-NS. These findings establish MWNS as a promising biomimetic platform for precision imaging and therapy of TNBC. With ongoing development, image-guided PTT mediated by MWNS could improve the prognosis for patients suffering from advanced TNBC or other solid tumor cancers that are refractory to existing therapies.

pubs.acs.org

I'm honored to share that I am being promoted to Professor. This milestone represents years of dedication to conducting impactful research, teaching, and service. Thank you to my mentors, mentees, students, colleagues, and family who have been part of this journey. I am excited for what's ahead!

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I am deeply concerned about the cuts to indirect cost rates on NIH grants. "These costs are not a waste or luxury — they make groundbreaking discoveries possible." This change will cause the U.S. to lose its position as a global leader in medical research. Encourage your policymakers to act now!

The NIH’s drastic cut to indirect cost rates is a critical threat to U.S. research infrastructure

The drastic reduction in indirect costs is not a path to innovation or cost savings — it’s a threat to U.S.’s position as global leader in medical research.

statnews.com

The Cancer Nanotechnology GRC I am co-chairing with @danielheller.bsky.social is just a few months away! Apply soon so you don’t miss this fantastic conference! Applications for the associated trainee-focused GRS are due by March 9 to be considered for a speaking opportunity.

2025 Cancer Nanotechnology Conference GRC

The 2025 Gordon Research Conference on Cancer Nanotechnology will be held in Lucca (Barga), Lucca Italy. Apply today to reserve your spot.

grc.org