Applying virus-based nanotechnologies to cancer and COVID-19
Dr. Nicole Steinmetz is well on her way in her mission to \u201cpush new frontiers in medicine and bio-nanotechnology through the design, development and testing of materials and biologics derived from plant viruses.\u201d\n\nPlant viruses? Plant viruses.\n\nThey\u2019re non-infectious to humans. When injected into a tumor the immune system is alerted to their presence; finding no threat from the plant virus the immune cells fight the tumor instead. \n\nDr. Steinmetz talks us through the technology she\u2019s developed, explains how it can advance immunotherapy, and gives us a glimpse of how she and her team are applying this platform toward COVID-19 vaccine development. \n\n1:52 \u2013 Nicole Steinmetz, PhD, Professor of NanoEngineering and Director of the Center for Nano-ImmunoEngineering at the University of California, San Diego\n\n2:34 \u2013 What are nanoparticles? Why are they useful in medicine?\n\n7:11 \u2013 The Ballad of the Ferrari and the Geo Storm\n\n9:25 - How nanoparticles are useful in cancer diagnostic and therapeutic approaches\n\n14:36 \u2013 Using plant viruses as nanotechnology (\u201cThey\u2019re also naturally expert at the delivery of cargo\u201d such as cancer therapeutics.)\n\n20:40 \u2013 How her lab is using plant virus-based nanotechnologies to improve immunotherapy delivery\n\n27:08 \u2013 How plant viruses nicely synergize with checkpoint therapies\n\n31:04 \u2013 How nanotechnology has been applied to COVID-19 vaccine development\n\n33:04 \u2013 The role her lab has played in developing COVID-19 vaccine candidates using plant viruses \u201cthat we could ship at room temperature around the world to people\u2019s homes\u2026You don\u2019t even need to see a doctor; you can apply it like a bandage to get the vaccine.\u201d\n\n35:05 \u2013 On how this is a platform technology that could be used against the next strain, the next mutant, the next virus\n\n36:28 \u2013 How support from the American Cancer Society has impacted her research\n\n38:06 \u2013 Her message for cancer patients, survivors and their caregivers\n\nStick around until the end for a few bonus questions on Baldeneysee, surfing, whales, and her favorite teacher growing up