Mengying Hu, PhD
Assistant Professor
Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology
Professional Interests
The Hoo (Hu) research group focuses on the functional and mechanistic exploration of immune cell-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) and EV-DNA in the context of diseases such as cancer and chronic inflammatory disorders. The ultimate goal is to inform the rationale design of non-viral gene therapies and diagnostic/prognostic tools. Specific research interests include functional and mechanistic exploration of immune cell-derived EVs and EV-DNA in disease settings such as cancer and auto-immune disorders, engineering core-shell lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for the targeted delivery of nucleic acids, proteins, peptides, and small molecules to support therapeutic development for cancer, chronic inflammatory diseases, and autoimmune disorder and diagnostic/prognostic biomarker development based on circulating EVs and EV-DNA.
Research Areas:
Biography
Dr. Hu earned her PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she built the framework for the design and optimization of core-supported lipid nanoparticles for delivering nucleic acid therapeutics. She then completed postdoctoral training at Weill Cornell Medical College as a TL1 scholar in the Clinical and Translational Science Program, where she uncovered the immune-boosting activities of T cell-derived EVs and EV-DNA. Her work has since expanded to encompass translational research, including but not limited to identifying EV biomarkers for early detection, cancer progression, and treatment responses.
Education
- 2019, PhD Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- 2016, MS Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, China
- 2013, BS Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, China
Honors
- 2022, CTSC TL1 Training Award
- 2019, Baxter Young Investigator Award
Publications
- Immune activation and regulation mediated by immune cell-derived EVs (iEVs), Essays in Biochemistry. 2025 Sep | journal-article. doi: 10.1042/EBC20253005.
- Universal STING mimic boosts antitumour immunity via preferential activation of tumour control signalling pathways., Nature nanotechnology. 2024 Mar | journal-article. doi: 10.1038/s41565-024-01624-2.
- Author Correction: Universal STING mimic boosts antitumour immunity via preferential activation of tumour control signalling pathways, Springer Nature. 2024 Jan | journal-article. doi: 10.17615/zsfd-2771.
- Universal STING mimic boosts antitumour immunity via preferential activation of tumour control signalling pathways, Springer Nature. 2024 Jan | journal-article. doi: 10.17615/5hnq-z268.
- Tumour extracellular vesicles and particles induce liver metabolic dysfunction., Nature. 2023 May | journal-article. doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06114-4.
- Tumor-derived nanoseeds condition the soil for metastatic organotropism., Seminars in cancer biology. 2023 May | journal-article. doi: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2023.05.003.
- Tumor-produced and aging-associated oncometabolite methylmalonic acid promotes cancer-associated fibroblast activation to drive metastatic progression., Nature communications. 2022 Oct | journal-article. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-33862-0.
- Fibrotic immune microenvironment remodeling mediates superior anti-tumor efficacy of a nano-PD-L1 trap in hepatocellular carcinoma., Molecular therapy : the journal of the American Society of Gene Therapy. 2022 Sep | journal-article. doi: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.09.012.
- Strategies targeting tumor immune and stromal microenvironment and their clinical relevance., Advanced drug delivery reviews. 2022 Feb | journal-article. doi: 10.1016/j.addr.2022.114137.
- Nanoparticle Delivery of miR-122 Inhibits Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastasis, Cancer Research. 2022 Jan | journal-article. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-21-2269.
- mRNA Delivery of a Bispecific Single-Domain Antibody to Polarize Tumor-Associated Macrophages and Synergize Immunotherapy against Liver Malignancies., Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.). 2021 May | journal-article. doi: 10.1002/adma.202007603.
- Hepatic macrophages act as a central hub for relaxin-mediated alleviation of liver fibrosis, Nature Nanotechnology. 2021 Apr | journal-article. doi: 10.1038/s41565-020-00836-6.
- Relaxin gene delivery modulates macrophages to resolve cancer fibrosis and synergizes with immune checkpoint blockade therapy, Science Advances. 2021 Feb | journal-article. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abb6596.
- Corrigendum to “Celastrol nanoemulsion induces immunogenicity and downregulates PD-L1 to boost abscopal effect in melanoma therapy” [Biomaterials 269 (2021) 120604], Elsevier. 2021 Jan | journal-article. doi: 10.17615/jjdr-cb70.
- Relaxin gene delivery modulates macrophages to resolve cancer fibrosis and synergizes with immune checkpoint blockade therapy, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). 2021 Jan | journal-article. doi: 10.17615/sr4x-b098.
- Celastrol nanoemulsion induces immunogenicity and downregulates PD-L1 to boost abscopal effect in melanoma therapy., Biomaterials. 2020 Dec | journal-article. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2020.120604.
- Oral Metformin and Polymetformin Reprogram Immunosuppressive Microenvironment and Boost Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy in Colorectal Cancer, Advanced Therapeutics. 2020 Dec | journal-article. doi: 10.1002/adtp.202000168.
- Icaritin Exacerbates Mitophagy and Synergizes with Doxorubicin to Induce Immunogenic Cell Death in Hepatocellular Carcinoma., ACS nano. 2020 Mar | journal-article. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.0c00708.
- Nano-puerarin regulates tumor microenvironment and facilitates chemo- and immunotherapy in murine triple negative breast cancer model., Biomaterials. 2020 Jan | journal-article. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2020.119769.
- Relaxin-FOLFOX-IL-12 triple combination therapy engages memory response and achieves long-term survival in colorectal cancer liver metastasis., Journal of controlled release : official journal of the Controlled Release Society. 2019 Dec | journal-article. doi: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2019.12.053.
- Relaxin gene delivery mitigates liver metastasis and synergizes with check point therapy, Nature Communications. 2019 Jul | journal-article. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-10893-8.
- Locally Trapping the C-C Chemokine Receptor Type 7 by Gene Delivery Nanoparticle Inhibits Lymphatic Metastasis Prior to Tumor Resection., Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany). 2019 Jan | journal-article. doi: 10.1002/smll.201805182.
- Vasodilator Hydralazine Promotes Nanoparticle Penetration in Advanced Desmoplastic Tumors., ACS nano. 2019 Jan | journal-article. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.8b07830.
- Relaxin-FOLFOX-IL-12 triple combination therapy engages memory response and achieves long-term survival in colorectal cancer liver metastasis, Elsevier. 2019 Jan | journal-article. doi: 10.17615/m54t-tm75.
- Nanomaterial Manipulation of Immune Microenvironment in the Diseased Liver, Advanced Functional Materials. 2018 Dec | journal-article. doi: 10.1002/adfm.201805760.
- An inflammatory-CCRK circuitry drives mTORC1-dependent metabolic and immunosuppressive reprogramming in obesity-associated hepatocellular carcinoma., Nature communications. 2018 Dec | journal-article. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-07402-8.
- Trapping of Lipopolysaccharide to Promote Immunotherapy against Colorectal Cancer and Attenuate Liver Metastasis., Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.). 2018 Nov | journal-article. doi: 10.1002/adma.201805007.
- Nanoparticle-mediated HMGA1 Silencing Promotes Lymphocyte Infiltration and Boosts Checkpoint Blockade Immunotherapy for Cancer, Advanced Functional Materials. 2018 Sep | journal-article. doi: 10.1002/adfm.201802847.
- Y1 receptor ligand-based nanomicelle as a novel nanoprobe for glioma-targeted imaging and therapy., Nanoscale. 2018 Mar | journal-article. doi: 10.1039/c8nr00148k.
- An inflammatory-CCRK circuitry drives mTORC1-dependent metabolic and immunosuppressive reprogramming in obesity-associated hepatocellular carcinoma, Springer Nature. 2018 Jan | journal-article. doi: 10.17615/ef7q-da39.
- Nanoparticle‐mediated HMGA1 Silencing Promotes Lymphocyte Infiltration and Boosts Checkpoint Blockade Immunotherapy for Cancer, Wiley. 2018 Jan | journal-article. doi: 10.17615/cpvt-js67.
- Trapping of Lipopolysaccharide to Promote Immunotherapy against Colorectal Cancer and Attenuate Liver Metastasis, Wiley. 2018 Jan | journal-article. doi: 10.17615/n9xb-rg16.
- Liver specific gene immunotherapies resolve immune suppressive ectopic lymphoid structures of liver metastases and prolong survival, Biomaterials. 2017 Oct | journal-article. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2017.07.007.
- Drug resistance reversal by combretastatin-A4 phosphate loaded with doxorubicin in polymersomes independent of angiogenesis effect, Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology. 2017 Apr | journal-article. doi: 10.1111/jphp.12725.
- Liver specific gene immunotherapies resolve immune suppressive ectopic lymphoid structures of liver metastases and prolong survival, Elsevier. 2017 Jan | journal-article. doi: 10.17615/vz15-j128.
- Polymersomes via Self-Assembly of Amphiphilic β-Cyclodextrin-Centered Triarm Star Polymers for Enhanced Oral Bioavailability of Water-Soluble Chemotherapeutics, Biomacromolecules. 2016 Mar | journal-article. doi: 10.1021/acs.biomac.5b01676.
- Sequentially dual-targeting vector with nano-in-micro structure for improved docetaxel oral delivery in vivo, Nanomedicine. 2016 Jan | journal-article. doi: 10.2217/nnm-2016-0259.
- Co-Encapsulation of Combretastatin-A4 Phosphate and Doxorubicin in Polymersomes for Synergistic Therapy of Nasopharyngeal Epidermal Carcinoma, Journal of Biomedical Nanotechnology. 2015 Jun | journal-article. doi: 10.1166/jbn.2015.2010.
- Polymer micelle-based combination therapy of paclitaxel and resveratrol with enhanced and selective antitumor activity, RSC Adv.. 2014 Jan | journal-article. doi: 10.1039/c4ra09761k.
- Progress in Enantioselective Phosphine Organocatalysis, Chinese Journal of Organic Chemistry. 2013 Jan | journal-article. doi: 10.6023/cjoc201210017.