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The goal of targeted delivery in medical therapies is to enhance the efficacy of treatments while minimizing the loss of therapeutic agents that can occur following conventional administration. Traditional oral administration may lead to degradation of drugs due to the acidic environment of the stomach or inactivation by the liver after gastrointestinal absorption. Similarly, intravenous administration can result in the loss of larger therapies, such as cells, due to lung entrapment, or smaller therapies, like micro/nanomedicines, being sequestered by organs of the reticuloendothelial system and kidneys.
To address these challenges, four distinct categories of targeted delivery approaches have emerged:
Faculty at IRIS are available to collaborate on these targeted delivery approaches, as well as the use of novel microenvironment modulation technologies. Their expertise can facilitate both preclinical testing and the clinical translation of advanced therapies, including gene therapies, cell therapies, cell-free therapies, and conventional treatments such as drugs and antibodies.
IRIS can help create preclinical small animal disease models that facilitate the testing of innovative approaches, devices and technologies. By developing techniques that closely replicate interventions performed in human patients using minimally invasive image-guided approaches, IRIS enables effective preclinical testing and validation of new therapies, ensuring that they are both safe and effective before moving to clinical trials. In addition to its capabilities in small animal models, IRIS offers expertise in molecular biology and bioinformatics for assessing tissue responses to various therapies, allowing researchers to gain insights into the biological effects of their interventions at a molecular level.
For larger animal studies, the Zeego Lab within Stanford Radiology provides access to state-of-the-art fluoroscopic and CT imaging equipment to support a wide range of anatomical, functional, and quantitative research interventions across different body systems, further enhancing the ability to evaluate and refine new minimally invasive techniques and devices.
IRIS serves as a resource for faculty and industry partners looking to collaborate with interventional specialists in both adult and pediatric medicine. By facilitating partnerships, IRIS can help the development and execution of new clinical trials aimed at testing innovative therapies and devices.
The interventional faculty at Stanford have significant experience in performing a wide range of procedures, including:
Stanford Health Care (SHC) and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital (LPCH) are equipped with state-of-the-art interventional rooms that utilize advanced imaging modalities, including fluoroscopy, CT, ultrasound (US), and MRI guidance systems to support minimally invasive procedures
By leveraging these resources, IRIS aims to accelerate the translation of innovative treatments from the laboratory to the clinic, ultimately enhancing patient care and expanding the possibilities for interventional therapies. The collaborative environment fostered by IRIS encourages the exploration of novel approaches, ensuring that both faculty and industry partners can contribute to advancements in the field of interventional medicine.
A key focus of IRIS is to facilitate the journey of new ideas, devices, and technologies from conception to patient application. To achieve this, IRIS has cultivated a robust network of partnerships with various Stanford Centers and engineering firms. This network is instrumental in assessing market feasibility, navigating regulatory considerations, and addressing manufacturing challenges that may arise during the development process.
As technologies progress from the prototype phase to potential human use, IRIS leverages the extensive experience of clinical faculty, university researchers, and entrepreneurs. This collaborative approach provides invaluable guidance, resources, and support to ensure the successful translation of promising devices and methodologies into clinical practice.
By fostering these connections and offering strategic insights, IRIS aims to streamline the innovation process, reduce time to market, and ultimately enhance patient care through the introduction of cutting-edge minimally invasive image-guided interventions. The commitment to collaboration and knowledge sharing within the IRIS framework positions it as a unique translational center that can advance medical technology and improve health outcomes.