Mai Tu is intrigued by the noninvasive method of drug delivery to the lung. This interest has sparked her research about the effectiveness of using antimicrobial-loaded polymeric nanoparticles to treat lung infection.

Fabricating these nanoparticles prepared from polymers, however, doesn’t come without challenges.

“The great advantage is that we could deliver the drug directly to the site of infection. This reduces unnecessary side effects,” Tu said. “However, the fate and toxicity of these drug-loaded polymeric nanoparticles are unknown. Fabrication of these polymeric nanoparticles with optimized surface properties is challenging. The challenges are what have kept me interested in the work.”

Tu, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Pharmaceutics and Translational Therapeutics in the College of Pharmacy, came to the University of Iowa after completing her undergraduate work at Drake University.

“I have always been aware that the Department of Pharmaceutics in the College of Pharmacy at the UI is very well-known. In fact, the department is ranked among the top 10 programs in the nation,” Tu said.

Tu’s UI mentor is Assistant Professor Jennifer Fiegel, whose lab focuses on the development of novel drug delivery systems for diseases of the lung, with special emphasis on infectious diseases. The inhalable drug delivery system has been successful in treating asthma and delivering inhaled flu vaccine, but isn’t easy to use. It is a challenge to formulate drug for delivery to the lungs because the mechanisms the body has in place to keep out harmful material make it difficult to get helpful drugs into the lungs.

Tu’s dissertation focuses on the use of polymeric nanoparticles as a vehicle for effectively delivering anti-microbial agents to the lung. An anti-microbial kills or inhibits the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi.

“The novel idea is the attachment of a bacterial ligand onto the drug-loaded polymeric nanoparticles' surface which will guide the nanoparticles to bind specifically to the cells that are infected,” Tu said. “Once the polymeric nanoparticles enter the infected cells, the biodegradable polymer will be optimized to slowly degrade and release the drug to the site of the infection. The goal is to develop anti-microbial-loaded biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles for targeted delivery efficiently to the lung without damaging the lung cells.”

Tu also has been involved in graduate student government. She represents the College of Pharmacy as a senator on the Graduate Student Senate.

“I have learned the way the University and the Graduate College operate in order to serve graduate students,” Tu said. “I have gotten to communicate and work with graduate students from different fields across the campus, which is a rare opportunity. I also have learned to appreciate other fields of research.”