W. Mark Saltzman, PhD
Research & Publications
Biography
News
Research Summary
We are studying the use of novel drug delivery systems, which are based primarily on biocompatible polymers. Our current studies focus on three different clinical applications of these materials:
- for local delivery of potent agents such as chemotherapy in tumors or paracrine growth factors in tissue repair;
- for enhancing the delivery and/or presentation of antigens to the immune system for vaccination; and
- for non-viral DNA or RNA expression in cells and tissues.
Extensive Research Description
W. Mark Saltzman is an engineer and educator. His research has impacted the fields of drug delivery, biomaterials, nanobiotechnology, and tissue engineering. This work is described in more than 350 research papers and patents. He is also the sole author of three textbooks: Biomedical Engineering, Tissue Engineering, and Drug Delivery. During more than 35 years leading independent research programs at Johns Hopkins, Cornell, and Yale, he has introduced mathematical models for guiding the design of drug delivery systems, developed new methods for drug delivery to brain tumors, produced the first controlled delivery systems for nerve growth factors, the first delivery systems for long-term protection against STDs using antibodies, and new materials for delivery of DNA and RNA. In the course of this work, he has been the primary mentor for 43 doctoral students and 27 postdoctoral associates; many of these scholars are now leading their own independent research programs at top-rate universities.
Prof. Saltzman graduated from Iowa State University with a BS in chemical engineering and received MS and PhD degrees in chemical engineering and medical engineering from MIT. He was appointed the Goizueta Foundation Professor of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering at Yale in 2002. He was the founding chair of Yale’s Department of Biomedical Engineering and served in that role for 12 years. From 2016-2022, he was the Head of Jonathan Edwards College, one of Yale’s fourteen residential colleges.
Prof. Saltzman is an elected member of the US National Academy of Medicine and the US National Academy of Engineering.
Coauthors
Research Interests
Cell Communication; Drug Discovery
Selected Publications
- Enhancing in vivo cell and tissue targeting by modulation of polymer nanoparticles and macrophage decoysPiotrowski-Daspit A, Bracaglia L, Eaton D, Richfield O, Binns T, Albert C, Gould J, Mortlock R, Egan M, Pober J, Saltzman W. Enhancing in vivo cell and tissue targeting by modulation of polymer nanoparticles and macrophage decoys. Nature Communications 2024, 15: 4247. PMID: 38762483, PMCID: PMC11102454, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48442-7.
- Modifying the Backbone Chemistry of PEG‐based Bottlebrush Block Copolymers for the Formation of Long‐Circulating NanoparticlesGrundler J, Whang C, Shin K, Savan N, Zhong M, Saltzman W. Modifying the Backbone Chemistry of PEG‐based Bottlebrush Block Copolymers for the Formation of Long‐Circulating Nanoparticles. Advanced Healthcare Materials 2024, e2304040. PMID: 38734871, DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202304040.
- Pilot PET study of vaginally administered bioadhesive nanoparticles in cynomolgus monkeys: Kinetics and safety evaluationGrun M, Honhar P, Wang Y, Rossano S, Khang M, Suh H, Fowles K, Kliman H, Cavaliere A, Carson R, Marquez‐Nostra B, Saltzman W. Pilot PET study of vaginally administered bioadhesive nanoparticles in cynomolgus monkeys: Kinetics and safety evaluation. Bioengineering & Translational Medicine 2024 DOI: 10.1002/btm2.10661.
- Exploiting Metabolic Defects in Glioma with Nanoparticle Encapsulated NAMPT Inhibitors.Murray M, Noronha K, Wang Y, Friedman A, Paradkar S, Suh H, Sundaram R, Brenner C, Saltzman W, Bindra R. Exploiting Metabolic Defects in Glioma with Nanoparticle Encapsulated NAMPT Inhibitors. Molecular Cancer Therapeutics 2024, of1-of12. PMID: 38691846, DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-24-0012.
- The Technical and Ethical Framework of Fetal Therapy: Past and Current AdvancesLynn A, Glazer P, Saltzman W, Stitelman D. The Technical and Ethical Framework of Fetal Therapy: Past and Current Advances. Current Stem Cell Reports 2024, 10: 30-36. DOI: 10.1007/s40778-024-00235-w.
- Abstract 7117: Convection enhanced delivery of a novel ATR inhibitor synergizes with systemic lomustine for improved treatment of glioblastomaJosowitz A, Lee T, Sundaram R, Pothupitiya J, Brown E, Sule A, Beckta J, Wang Y, Vacca J, Gilad O, Bindra R, Saltzman W. Abstract 7117: Convection enhanced delivery of a novel ATR inhibitor synergizes with systemic lomustine for improved treatment of glioblastoma. Cancer Research 2024, 84: 7117-7117. DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2024-7117.
- Compartmentalized ocular lymphatic system mediates eye–brain immunityYin X, Zhang S, Lee J, Dong H, Mourgkos G, Terwilliger G, Kraus A, Geraldo L, Poulet M, Fischer S, Zhou T, Mohammed F, Zhou J, Wang Y, Malloy S, Rohner N, Sharma L, Salinas I, Eichmann A, Thomas J, Saltzman W, Huttner A, Zeiss C, Ring A, Iwasaki A, Song E. Compartmentalized ocular lymphatic system mediates eye–brain immunity. Nature 2024, 628: 204-211. PMID: 38418880, PMCID: PMC10990932, DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07130-8.
- Nanoscale Surface Topography of Polyethylene Glycol-Coated Nanoparticles Composed of Bottlebrush Block Copolymers Prolongs Systemic Circulation and Enhances Tumor UptakeGrundler J, Shin K, Suh H, Whang C, Fulgoni G, Pierce R, Saltzman W. Nanoscale Surface Topography of Polyethylene Glycol-Coated Nanoparticles Composed of Bottlebrush Block Copolymers Prolongs Systemic Circulation and Enhances Tumor Uptake. ACS Nano 2024, 18: 2815-2827. PMID: 38227820, DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c05921.
- MODL-02. DEVELOPMENT OF RODENT GLIOBLASTOMA MODELS OF MGMT-MEDIATED TEMOZOLOMIDE RESISTANCELee T, Bhatt D, Sundaram R, Saltzman W, Bindra R, Vasquez J. MODL-02. DEVELOPMENT OF RODENT GLIOBLASTOMA MODELS OF MGMT-MEDIATED TEMOZOLOMIDE RESISTANCE. Neuro-Oncology 2023, 25: v298-v298. PMCID: PMC10640218, DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noad179.1153.