Graduate Departmental Seminar: After Several Decades of Nanoscience Research: Are We Asking the Right Research Questions?

Abstract Research on the interaction of nanoparticles with biosystems has created one of the most dynamic interdisciplinary research domains for human discovery. This domain includes a revolutionary design of nanomaterials, targeted delivery of molecules, and developing multimodal diagnostic tools. Despite years of excellent individual investigations, a globalized cause-and-effect model relating nanoparticles properties to their behaviour throughout their journey inside the human body has not been developed, i.e. there is a limited ability to predict the behaviour of nanoparticles based on their engineered properties. My talk will focus on our research on developing new experimental approaches to mechanistically understand the interaction of the nanoparticles with the different biological components under biomimetic conditions. Bio Hagar Labouta is a Scientist and Keenan Research Chair at Unity Health Toronto, with research experience in nanomedicine, drug delivery, and biomedical engineering. Before joining the University of Toronto, she was an Assistant Professor at the College of Pharmacy, University of Manitoba. She got her Ph.D. in pharmaceutical nanotechnology from Saarland University (Germany). She completed several Postdoctoral fellowships at the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (Germany), and the Departments of Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering, University of Calgary (Canada). Her team uses microfluidics and organ-on-a-chip models for designing and evaluating nanoparticles for the aim of breaching biological barriers. Her lab is well-funded by national and international funds. Dr. Labouta has a strong publication record and is a co-inventor on an international patent for the development of nanosystems for intracellular targeting. She has won several awards and fellowships including the CRS member of the year award from the Controlled Release Society, Interstellar Award from New York Academy of Sciences, Innovation and Career Development Award by the Biomedical Engineering Society, Apotheker Jacob Prize for the best PhD thesis in pharmaceutical sciences in Germany, and curriculum award for the Nanoscience Minor Program from Taylor Institute in Canada.