Anders Wittrup

Our research

Despite recent advances, there is still a substantial unmet medical need for novel cancer therapeutics. A new class of pharmacological compounds, based on RNA, open up new possibilities to specifically target numerous cancer cell vulnerabilities. Cytosolic delivery of the macromolecular RNA molecules is the biggest hurdle to translate these molecules into clinically useful drugs. Still, a few RNA based drugs have entered clinical use and delivery to certain human tissues, notably the liver and CNS, is possible. However, to reach other tissues, and in particular tumors, the delivery process has to be improved significantly.

Aims

In our lab we have two main focus areas:

• First, we develop methods to study the process of cytosolic delivery of RNA. In particular, we have developed high resolution microscopy methods to study RNA delivery in living cells.
• Second, based on the insights from these studies we are developing novel strategies to enhance RNA  delivery to tumors. These efforts have the potential to specifically turn off driving cancer genes and ultimately halt disease progression.

Strengths of the group

• Techniques for RNA delivery
• Live-cell and super-resolution imaging
• Quantitative bioimaging
• Single-cell analysis and modeling

Impact

There is an ongoing intensive effort in the pharmaceutical industry to develop novel RNA based therapeutics. To make these efforts fruitful and enable new drugs for currently intractable conditions improved RNA delivery strategies are essential. Our techniques and insights directly facilitate these efforts with for example new screening tools and rational ideas for new delivery strategies.

| Research Output

Affiliations

• Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine 
• Department of Clinical Sciences Lund
• Oncology, Skane University Hospital, Lund

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