BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.4.3//EN TZID:America/New_York X-WR-TIMEZONE:America/New_York BEGIN:VEVENT UID:0-7859@eng.ufl.edu DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20251021T090000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20251021T100000 DTSTAMP:20251201T183010Z URL:https://www.eng.ufl.edu/news-events/events/che-fall-seminar-series-7/ SUMMARY:CHE Fall Seminar Series DESCRIPTION:Speaker: Peter Tessier\, PhD\nDepartments of Chemical Engineeri ng\, Pharmaceutical Sciences\, and Biomedical Engineering\, Biointerfaces Institute\, University of Michigan\n\nTitle:\nBrain-penetrating biologics: from design to drug delivery applications\n\nAbstract: The modest abilit y of antibodies and other biologics to penetrate the blood-brain barrier ( BBB) severely limits their use in research\, diagnostic\, and therapeutic applications. We are developing bispecific antibodies – referred to as b rain shuttles – that are administered intravenously\, engage BBB recepto rs\, and are efficiently transported into the central nervous system. We f ind that brain shuttles targeting different BBB receptors have unique adva ntages\, as some mediate fast brain uptake\, which is desirable for treati ng acute brain disorders\, while others mediate surprisingly long retentio n in the brain\, which is desirable for treating chronic brain disorders. Here\, we will discuss our recent work using directed evolution and active learning for generating brain shuttles that have ultra-rare binding prope rties\, including similar affinities to poorly conserved orthologs of BBB receptors from mouse\, monkey\, and human\, which greatly simplifies clini cal translation. We will also discuss our recent work on using our brain s huttles for delivering nucleic acid agents for efficient and selective red uction of neuronal gene expression in the brain\, as well as for deliverin g cytokines for selectively expanding regulatory T cells in the brain for combating neuroinflammation.\n\n\nBio: Peter Tessier is the Albert M. Mat tocks (Endowed) Professor in the Departments of Chemical Engineering\, Pha rmaceutical Sciences\, and Biomedical Engineering\, and a member of the Bi ointerfaces Institute and Chemical Biology Program at the University of Mi chigan in Ann Arbor\, MI. He received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering fr om the University of Delaware (2003\, NASA Graduate Fellow) and performed his postdoctoral studies at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Researc h at MIT (2003-2007\, American Cancer Society Fellow). Tessier started his independent career as an assistant professor in the Department of Chemica l &\; Biological Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 200 7\, and he was an endowed full professor at Rensselaer prior to moving to the University of Michigan in 2017. His research focuses on therapeutic an tibody engineering and brain drug delivery using novel experimental and co mputational methods with the long-term goal of improving the treatment of human disorders ranging from cancer to neurodegenerative diseases. He has received several awards and fellowships in recognition of his pioneering w ork: Pew Scholar Award in Biomedical Sciences (2010-2014)\, Humboldt Fello wship for Experienced Researchers (2014-2015)\, Young Scientist Award from the World Economic Forum (2014)\, Young Investigator Award from the Ameri can Chemical Society (2015) and a CAREER Award from the National Science F oundation (2010-2015). \n\n CATEGORIES:Seminars LOCATION:NEB 202\, 1064 CENTER DR Bldg #: 0033\, Gainesville\, Florida\, 32 611\, United States X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=1064 CENTER DR Bldg #: 0033 \, Gainesville\, Florida\, 32611\, United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=100;X-TITL E=NEB 202:geo:0,0 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York X-LIC-LOCATION:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20250309T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR