Events List

DateEvent TypeSpeaker
12/02/2024CCPP Brown BagChris Dessert [ + ]
12/02/2024Astro Journal Club [ + ]
12/03/2024Informal HEP TalkCaio Nascimento [ + ]
12/03/2024Astro SeminarRavi Sheth [ + ]
12/04/2024ArXiv Discussion [ + ]
12/04/2024HEP SeminarPeizhi Du [ + ]
12/04/2024Pate, Class [ + ]
12/05/2024Astro Research GroupHogg/Blanton [ + ]
12/05/2024Pullen Group Meeting [ + ]
12/05/2024Physics Dept ColloquiumWilliam Gelbart [ -- ]

Title: Self-Assembly, Gene Delivery, and Immunotherpay
Abstract: Apologies for the grandiose title, but I’m presenting an approach to gene delivery and immunotherapy that is based on the physics of self-assembly of virus-like particles. By gene delivery I mean the in vivo delivery of genes in messengerRNA (mRNA) form, to targeted cells; and by immunotherapy I mean the in vivo transformation of immune cells – either antigen-presenting cells for vaccination, or killer-T cells for clearing virus-infected or cancerous cells. The virus-like particles are each nothing more than a single mRNA molecule packaged inside an icosahedrally-symmetric protein shell, with or without a lipid bilayer envelope containing a second shell of icosahedrally-ordered proteins. These particles are either synthesized in vitro from purified RNA and protein components, or in cellulo; they are functionalized with antibodies targeting them to specific cells; and they are thermodynamically stable and resistant to nuclease digestion of their mRNA content. Because they contain therapeutic mRNA rather than a viral genome, they are not infectious. But in essentially every other way they resemble – in structure and in gene-delivery function – the highly-evolved virus particles on which their design is modeled. Indeed, our aim is to learn from a billion years of evolution about how viruses have perfected the art of protecting their genes and targeting them to the right cells. (4:00 PM - 5:30 PM, 726 Broadway, 940, CCPP Seminar)
12/06/2024Big Apple ColloquiumAndrea Ghez [ + ]
12/06/2024HEP Discussion SessionsQ. Weller and M. Calkins [ + ]
12/09/2024CCPP Brown BagAnna Suliga [ + ]
12/09/2024Astro Journal Club [ + ]
12/10/2024Special SeminarDavid Hogg et. al [ + ]
12/10/2024Astro SeminarKeith Hawkins [ + ]
12/11/2024ArXiv Discussion [ + ]
12/11/2024HEP SeminarNathaniel Craig [ + ]
12/12/2024Astro Research GroupHogg/Blanton [ + ]
12/12/2024Pullen Group Meeting [ + ]
12/12/2024Physics Dept ColloquiumVincenzo Vitelli [ + ]
12/13/2024Holiday Party [ + ]
12/13/2024HEP Discussion SessionsQ. Weller and M. Calkins [ + ]
12/23/2024Holiday [ + ]
12/24/2024Holiday [ + ]
12/25/2024Holiday [ + ]
12/26/2024Holiday [ + ]
12/27/2024Holiday [ + ]
12/30/2024Holiday [ + ]
12/31/2024Holiday [ + ]