Research focus of the Oyewumi Lab

The Oyewumi Lab focuses on advanced drug delivery, drug discovery and development of  different therapeutic agents in the treatment and management of human diseases.

The health care system relies heavily on different pharmaceutical agents ranging from small molecules to large molecular drugs. Meanwhile, practical application of therapeutic agents in treatment and management of several diseases requires suitable delivery systems to overcome challenges such as low efficacy, drug resistance, instability, poor absorption, poor distribution, high cost, side or adverse effects and poor patient adherence to treatment regimen.

Our work involves designing and fabricating innovative drug delivery systems that serve as the foundation for new therapeutic strategies pertaining to discovery and application of new drug candidates, application of new disease targets and repurposing old drugs for new applications.

We expanded the work to include 3D-printed drug delivery platforms that allow for personalized medicines. The main attraction of personalized medicines is the opportunity to tailor medications to patient needs while factoring in differences in genetic profiles, age, race, gender, epigenetic and environmental factors.  We pay special attention to translational framework in every research project  that confers clinical relevance.

Current Studies

Project 1

Figure 1

We have an ongoing project that focuses on fabrication and application of innovative delivery systems to manage and treat bone disorders.  Bone is a continuously remodeling tissue comprised of cells such as osteoclasts and osteoblasts that function cooperatively in maintaining a healthy skeletal system. A major challenge in the application of therapeutic agents for the skeletal system include poor distribution of drugs to the bone from blood circulation, instability of some of the drugs especially biologics, high cases of grave side effects arising from non-uniform and wide spread distribution of therapeutics outside bone area. Our lab is looking, in partnership with our collaborators, at developing new treatment strategies that will apply new drugs and/or repurpose old drugs as well as fabricate suitable delivery platforms for application of therapeutic agents for treating bone disorders. The overarching goal of our work is to overcome barriers confronting therapeutic efficacy and application of drugs in the treatment/management of several bone disorders.

Related: “Drug delivery system takes top prize in NEOvations Bench to Bedside Competition.”

Figure 2

Project 2

We are working on innovative cancer therapeutics agents through the development of stimuli-responsive delivery systems, combination therapies as well as discovery of new markers that will have utility in treatment, management and diagnosis of cancer. In this regard, a notable project focuses on the discovery and therapeutic application of emerging lung cancer therapeutic targets based on the pathogenesis of bone metastases.

Figure 3

Project 3

With the growing need for effective treatments to prevent the chronic consequences of neuroinflammation associated with neurodegenerative disorders, there has been increased interest in drug repurposing strategies, which entail the application of existing drugs to treat new indications, especially in combination therapies and disease conditions with unmet medical needs. Since the pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic and safety profiles of these drugs are well known, the development of repurposed strategies is not as costly and challenging as the classic development of de novo drugs. We are working to overcome challenges in drug delivery to reach desired concentrations in the central nervous systems due to barriers such as the blood brain barrier, blood-cerebrospinal fluid and presence of efflux system.

Figure 4

Select funders

• NEOMED Foundation
• NIAMS/NIH

Open positions

See any open positions in this lab on the NEOMED careers site.