Research Interests

The Omar Khan (OFK) Lab combines engineering, biology and chemistry fundamentals to create new nanotechnologies for better patient outcomes.  These technologies are used to control and deliver nucleic acids.

There are many kinds of useful nucleic acids that, if deployed correctly as nanotechnology payloads, can help regulate genes in a patient’s body to achieve a therapeutic effect.  These RNA molecules can be used to silence or express genes without germline modifications and small molecule drugs.  Using a multiplexing approach, a plurality of different RNA molecules are simultaneously delivered to a desired cell type to facilitate multigene control.  This method enables complex genetic studies and better disease treatments.

The platform technologies developed in the OFK Lab have many application areas including cancer vaccines, the treatment of musculoskeletal diseases, cellular therapies, vascular engineering, tissue growth and environmental bioprocesses.