Engineering the immune response with biomaterials 

The goal of the Jewell lab is to develop biomaterials that generate immune responses with specific, tunable characteristics. Our research has two complementary components: 1) basic investigations to understand the interactions between synthetic materials and specific immune cells and tissues, and 2) design of biomaterial-based vaccines that tune or modulate immune responses to combat target infectious diseases and autoimmune disorders (e.g., multiple sclerosis, type I diabetes). This idea of tuning immune response is called "immunomodulation" and we use biomaterials that range from degradable polymer particles, to lipid carriers, to nanostructured polyelectrolyte multilayers. We study these materials in cells and animal models, incorporating tools from chemistry, engineering, basic biology, and immunology.

Our research interests include:

• Vaccine design and immunotherapy
• Biomaterial interactions with the immune system
• Polyelectrolyte multilayer films
• Autoimmunity
• Nanotechnology
• Polymer and lipid-based drug carriers