Co-Designed Nanomedicines (Codename)
Leaders
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Tatu Lajunen
Academy Research FellowSchool of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences -
Mika Reinisalo
Senior ResearcherSchool of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences
The Co-Designed Nanomedicines group (CODENAME) designs drug delivery systems (DDSs) for challenging medical needs. We develop optimized bespoke solutions for specific diseases or drug compound delivery problems. Our research focus is on nanomedicine technologies, as they provide several benefits in terms of drug distribution, targeted therapies, and DDS modifiability. Importantly, our design process includes multiple angles that consider not only the efficacy and safety of medication, but also the imaging tools, and the clinical-industrial translatability of the treatments.
The concept of co-design in our group relates to the broad and complementary areas of expertise of the individual researchers. We tackle all challenges as a cohesive unit tapping into the know-how of our members. Additionally, we invite our collaborators to actively participate in the design process and solve their drug delivery needs on case-by-case basis.
Relevancy of our research
Currently and in the future, the most serious therapeutic needs require site specific DDSs. For example, biologicals are ever more important class of drug compounds and their efficient delivery to the correct site of action is paramount. Nanoscale delivery systems are good option for protection and targeting of biologicals.
Our research is especially focused on cancer treatments and ocular diseases, both of which have bottlenecks in therapy related to efficient drug delivery. Improved safety with less adverse effects, while retaining the potency of the drugs, enhances the quality of life for numerous cancer patients. On the other hand, while not always life threatening, ocular diseases are more and more prevalent in the ageing society and the protected nature of the eye poses interesting challenges in drug delivery.
The main research areas of CODENAME are:
- Nanoparticles: lipid nanoparticles, liposomes, melanin nanoparticles
- Melanin targeting
- Ocular and cancer therapies
- Peptide based targeting
- Barcoded delivery systems
- Stimuli responsive drug release systems, esp. with light signal
- In silico simulations
Projects
Cooperation
Keywords
Leaders
-
Tatu Lajunen
Academy Research FellowSchool of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences -
Mika Reinisalo
Senior ResearcherSchool of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences
Post-doctoral Researchers
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Arto Merivaara
Postdoctoral Researcher -
Natalia Zashikhina
Postdoctoral ResearcherSchool of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences
Doctoral Researchers
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Janika Jäntti
Doctoral ResearcherSchool of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences -
Sonja Korhonen
Doctoral ResearcherSchool of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences -
Eetu Valkama
Doctoral ResearcherSchool of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences -
Pekka Vanhanen
Doctoral ResearcherSchool of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences -
Julius Viita
Doctoral ResearcherSchool of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences
Project researcher
Publications
25 items-
Barcode lipids for absolute quantitation of liposomes in ocular tissues
Merivaara, Arto; Puranen, Jooseppi; Sadeghi, Amir; Zashikhina, Natalia; Pirskanen, Lea; Lajunen, Tatu; Terasaki, Tetsuya; Auriola, Seppo; Vellonen, Kati Sisko; Urtti, Arto. 2024. Journal of controlled release. 370: 1-13 A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
Development of Focused Ultrasound-Assisted Nanoplexes for RNA Delivery
Ranjan, Sanjeev; Bosch, Stef; Lukkari, Hannamari; Schirmer, Johanna; Aaltonen, Niina; Nieminen, Heikki J; Lehto, Vesa-Pekka; Urtti, Arto; Lajunen, Tatu; Rilla, Kirsi. 2024. Nanomaterials. 14: A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
Doxorubicin-loaded DNA origami nanostructures: stability in vitreous and their uptake and toxicity in ocular cells
Klose, Anna; Gounani, Zahra; Ijäs, Heini; Lajunen, Tatu; Linko, Veikko; Laaksonen, Timo. 2024. Nanoscale. 16: 17585-17598 A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
PL3 CendR peptide shows specific uptake in cultured Y79 retinoblastoma cells with nucleolar accumulation
Korhonen, Sonja; Bosch, Stef; Erkinheimo, Antero; Lajunen, Tatu; Rilla, Kirsi; Teesalu, Tambet; Subrizi, Astrid; Ruponen, Marika; Urtti, Arto; Reinisalo, Mika. 2024. European journal of pharmaceutical sciences. 201: A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
Targeting ocular tissues with intravenously administered aptamers selected by in vivo SELEX
Korhonen, Sonja; Stenberg, Katja; Seemab, Umair; Bartos, Piia; Mäkiniemi, Katariina; Kjems, Jørgen; Dupont, Daniel Miotto; Subrizi, Astrid. 2024. Molecular therapy nucleic acids. 35: A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
The L-type amino acid transporter 1 enhances drug delivery to the mouse pancreatic beta cell line (MIN6)
Tampio, Janne; Montaser, Ahmed B.; Järvinen, Juulia; Lehtonen, Marko; Jalkanen, Aaro J.; Reinisalo, Mika; Kokkola, Tarja; Terasaki, Tetsuya; Laakso, Markku; Rysä, Jaana; Kauppinen, Anu; Huttunen, Kristiina M. 2024. European journal of pharmaceutical sciences. 203: A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
Aldehyde oxidase 1 activity and protein expression in human, rabbit, and pig ocular tissues
Hammid, Anam; Fallon, John K; Vellonen, Kati Sisko; Lassila, Toni; Reinisalo, Mika; Urtti, Arto; Gonzalez, Francisco; Tolonen, Ari; Smith, Philip C; Honkakoski, Paavo. 2023. European journal of pharmaceutical sciences. 191: . 106603 A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
Development of Robust Cationic Light-Activated Thermosensitive Liposomes: Choosing the Right Lipids
Gangurde, Puja; Mahmoudzadeh, Mohammad; Gounani, Zahra; Koivuniemi, Artturi; Laurén, Patrick; Lajunen, Tatu; Laaksonen, Timo. 2023. Molecular pharmaceutics. 20: 5728-5738 A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
Early-Stage Development of an Anti-Evaporative Liposomal Formulation for the Potential Treatment of Dry Eyes
Jantti, Janika; Viitaja, Tuomo; Sevon, Julia; Lajunen, Tatu; Raitanen, Jan-Erik; Schlegel, Cordula; Viljanen, Mira; Paananen, Riku O; Moilanen, Jukka; Ruponen, Marika; Ekholm, Filip. S. 2023. ACS pharmacology & translational science. 6: 1518-1530 A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
Establishing a simple perfusion cell culture system for light-activated liposomes
Mäki-Mikola, Eija; Lauren, Patrick; Uema, Natsumi; Kikuchi, Kanako; Takashima, Yuuki; Laaksonen, Timo; Lajunen, Tatu. 2023. Scientific reports. 13: . 2050 A1 Journal article (refereed), original research