Assistant Professor, Pharmaceutics
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
College of Pharmacy
Oregon State University
203 Pharmacy Building
Corvallis, OR 97331-3507
Phone: 541-737-3255
Zhengrong.cui@oregonstate.edu
University of Kentucky, Ph.D., Pharmaceutics, 2002
University of Pittsburgh, Postdoc, Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2004
Zhengrong Cui’s research focuses on rational drug and vaccine delivery. The following are a couple of examples.
Non-invasive immunization onto the skin:
Skin has evolved to protect not only by acting as a physical barrier, but also by its role in our powerful immune system. As a frontline of the host’s defense against pathogens, skin is well equipped for immune surveillance. Thus, targeting vaccine antigens to the skin epidermis should be able to efficiently induce strong immune responses. However, the forbidden barrier posed by the stratum corneum layer in the epidermis prevents effective entrance of vaccine antigens into the epidermis. Although the immune responses are rather weak, non-invasive immunization onto the skin has proven to be a viable immunization modality. Thus, we are interested in enhancing the immune responses from this route and in elucidating the mechanism of immune induction.
Cancer chemo-immunotherapy:
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the US. Chemotherapy remains an important cancer treatment modality. Traditionally, cytotoxic molecules that activate only a single tumor-killing mechanism are used. Combination chemotherapy is now a common practice, which involves treating patients with several medicines that differ in their killing mechanisms. Also, growing and compelling evidence suggests that the immune system fights against tumors. However, there are still many major hurdles in developing efficacious cancer vaccines. We are interested in searching for molecules that are tumoricidal and immuno-stimulatory (-modulatory) and delivering them in combination into tumors to improve the resultant anti-tumor activity.
UM Le, DML Kaurin, BR Sloat, N Yanasarn, ZR Cui, Localized irradiation of tumors prior to a dsRNA therapy significantly enhanced the resultant anti-tumor activity. Radiother. Oncol. (2008), in press.
UM Le, N Yanasarn, CV Löhr, K Fischer, ZR Cui. Tumor chemo-immunotherapy using gemcitabine and a synthetic dsRNA. Cancer Biol. Ther. (2008) 7(3):440-7.
BR Sloat, DS Shaker, UM Le, ZR Cui. Nasal immunization with the mixture of PA63, LF, and a PGA conjugate induced strong antibody responses against all three antigens. FEMS Immunol. Med. Microbiol. (2008) 52(2):169-79.
DS Shaker, BR Sloat, UM Le, N Yanasarn, KA Fischer, CV Löhr, ZR Cui. Immunization by applying DNA vaccine onto a skin area wherein the hair follicles have been induced into anagen-onset stage. Mol. Ther. (2007) 15(11): 2037-43.
F Qiu, ZR Cui. CD4+ T helper cell response is required for memory in CD8+ T lymphocytes induced by a poly(I:C)-adjuvanted MHC I-restricted peptide epitope. J. Immunother. (2007) 30(2):180-189.
BR Sloat, ZR Cui. Nasal immunization with a dual antigen anthrax vaccine induced strong mucosal and systemic immune responses against toxins and bacilli. Vaccine (2006) 24(40-41):6405-13.
UM Le, ZR Cui. Biodistribution and tumor-accumulation of gadolinium (Gd) encapsulated in long-circulating liposomes in tumor-bearing mice for potential neutron capture therapy. Int. J. Pharm. (2006) 320(1-2):96-103.
ZR Cui, F Qiu. Synthetic double-stranded RNA Poly (I:C) combined with HPV 16 E749-57 peptide epitope as a therapeutic vaccine against human cervical cancer in a rodent model. Cancer Immunol. Immunother. (2006) 55(10):1267-79.
ZR Cui and L Huang. Liposome-polycation-DNA (LPD) particle as a carrier and adjuvant for protein-based vaccines: therapeutic effect against cervical cancer. Cancer Immunol. Immunother. (2005) 54(12):1180-90.
ZR Cui, PR Lockman, CS Atwoord, CH Hsu, A Gupte, DD Allen, RJ Mumper. Novel D-penicillamine carrying nanoparticles for metal chelation therapy of Alzheimer’s and other CNS diseases. Eur. J. Pharm. Biopharm. (2005) 59(2):263-272.
ZR Cui, J Patel, M Tuzova, P Ray, R Phillips, JG Woodward, A Nath, RJ Mumper. Strong T cell type 1 immune responses to HIV-1 Tat protein-coated nanoparticles. Vaccine (2004) 22(20):2631-40.
ZR Cui, RJ Mumper. Buccal delivery of salmon calcitonin in rabbits using novel bi-layer mucoadhesive films. Pharm. Res. (2003) 19(12):1901-6.
ZR Cui and RJ Mumper. Plasmid DNA entrapped nanoparticles engineered from microemulsion precursors: in-vitro and in-vivo evaluation. Bioconj. Chem. (2002) 13(6):1319-27.
ZR Cui and RJ Mumper. Topical immunization using nanoengineered genetic vaccines. J. Control. Rel. (2002) 81:173-184.
ZR Cui and RJ Mumper. Chitosan-based nanoparticles for topical genetic immunization. J. Control. Rel. (2001) 75(3):409-419.
For a more complete list of publications, please search on www.pubmed.gov.
Postdoctoral positions open (10/23/2008)
Scientists who have prior experience or are interested in gaining experience in drug delivery (transdermal or site-specific), chemical synthesis, vaccinology/immunology, and/or molecular biology are encouraged to apply. Interested in applying, please email your C.V. to Dr. Cui.
