Presentation by Assistant Professor Hagar Labouta, a Keenan Professor of Medical Discovery at Unity health Toronto and Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto at Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy and Institute of Biomedical Engineering.
Microfluidic organ-on-a-chip models are advancing drug delivery by enabling biologically relevant platforms for evaluating therapies in complex pathophysiological systems. This talk will focus on the work done by the Labouta lab to develop innovative models that replicate critical interfaces and conditions, such as the placenta-on-a-chip, designed to study maternal-fetal nanoparticle transport and targeted delivery.
Beyond pregnancy, I will also present recent findings on our vessel-on-a-chip model for studying endothelial responses to shear stress and genomic instability, shedding light on vascular drug delivery and related pathologies. These models are complemented by microfluidic synthesis platforms that enable precise control over nanoparticle size, surface properties, and loading eDiciency.
Together, these technologies provide an integrated framework to optimize drug delivery systems and accelerate their translation to address complex medical challenges.
Short Bio
Hagar Labouta is a Keenan Professor of Medical Discovery at Unity health Toronto and Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto at Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy and Institute of Biomedical Engineering. She received her Ph.D. in pharmaceutical nanotechnology from Saarland University (Germany) and completed several Postdocs at Helmholtz institute (Germany), and University of Calgary (Canada).
Her team is using microfluidics to design nanoparticles for the aim of breaching biological barriers in applications related to Women’s Health. To ensure clinical translation of the novel therapies designed in her lab, her team develops humanized organ-on-a-chip models for preclinical evaluation of nanoparticles. Her lab is well-funded by national and international funds.
Dr. Labouta has a strong publication record and is a co-inventor on an international patent for the development of nanosystems for intracellular targeting. She has also worked with the WHO on two health-related projects. She has won several awards and fellowships including Member of the Year Award from the Controlled Release Society (USA), Interstellar Award from New York Academy of Sciences (USA), Innovation and Career Development Award by the Biomedical Engineering Society (USA), Apotheker Jacob Prize (Germany) and curriculum award for the Nanoscience Minor Program (Canada).
The presentation is organised by the Department of Pharmacy and CANS - Centre for New Antibacterial Strategies.
When: 15.05.25 kl 10.50–11.25
Where:
Aud 4, MH-building
Location / Campus: Tromsø
Target group: Students, Employees