Pharmacy researchers develop nanoparticle therapy for pores and skin and lung fibrosis – Uplaza

Researchers at The College of Texas at El Paso are creating a brand new therapeutic method that makes use of nanoparticles for the therapy of pores and skin and lung fibrosis, situations that may end up in extreme injury to the physique’s tissues.

Md Nurunnabi, Ph.D., is an affiliate professor in UTEP’s Faculty of Pharmacy and the lead researcher on two research revealed this June within the Journal of Managed Launch; one research focuses on pores and skin fibrosis and the opposite on lung fibrosis.

“We are closer than ever to developing a safe, effective and reliable approach to treating fibrosis,” Nurunnabi stated.

Fibrosis is a situation through which the tissues in an organ—such because the pores and skin, lungs, liver or kidneys—change into thicker and stiffer, in line with Nurunnabi. This will have a number of damaging results, such because the lungs not with the ability to maintain sufficient oxygen or blood vessels turning into narrower, resulting in hypertension.

“I studied fibrosis during my postdoctoral training but became interested in focusing on it in my lab during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Nurunnabi stated. “I observed that many people were passing away not because of COVID itself, but because of the inflammation and fibrosis caused by the viral infection in the lungs. Our lab focuses on developing nanotechnology that can target specific cells.”

Fibrosis can happen as a facet impact of chemotherapy or the results of a viral an infection or autoimmune illness, a situation through which the physique’s immune system assaults its personal cells. For instance, with an autoimmune situation, the physique kills cells known as fibroblasts that assist kind connective tissue. The physique then produces extra collagen than it wants, which ends up in fibrosis.

Nurunnabi’s group targeted on designing a nanoparticle that might goal the cells which can be answerable for fibrosis growth and development with out disturbing the “good” cells needed for the physique’s wholesome functioning.

Moderately than killing the “bad” cells, the group was profitable in modifying them in order that they now not produced extra collagen, in impact rehabilitating the cells. The research had been performed within the take a look at tube and in mice.

“Dr. Nurunnabi’s research into skin and lung fibrosis sheds light on the devastating impact of these conditions, whether acute or chronic,” stated José Rivera, Pharm.D, founding dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy.

“His findings offer hope for improved treatments that could significantly increase life expectancy and enhance the quality of life for affected individuals.”