Dr. Alison Lanzi has joined Niagara University’s BioMedical Research Institute as a scientific consultant. She will provide guidance on the formulation of drug delivery systems and their applications in various disease states, academic writing support, and strategic advice on funding opportunities.
Inspired by the evolution of proteins from a limited set of domains, Dr. Lanzi sought to fabricate novel materials with emergent properties by shuffling and combining existing biomaterials. She applied bioorthogonal chemistry to synthesize new block copolymers, then used them to formulate nanoparticles and degradable hydrogels for drug and cell delivery systems with applications in cancer, diabetes, and liver disease.
While studying for her bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Dr. Lanzi helped to create an in vitro vascular tissue network using 3D hydrogel printing. After earning her degree and before pursuing her Ph.D. in biomedical engineering at Boston University, she developed scientific instruments in the laboratory equipment and agricultural analysis sectors, including a western blot processor, a grain composition analyzer, and a cow mastitis detector.