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Hydrogels represent an attractive controlled drug-delivery system that have been used in various clinical applications, such as: tissue engineering for wound healing, surgical procedures, pain management, cardiology, and oncology. High-water content of hydrogels confers tissue-like physical properties and the crosslinked fibrillar network enables encapsulation of labile small molecule drugs, peptides, proteins, nucleic acids, proteins, nanoparticles, or cells.

Epidermal growth factor receptor variant III (EGFRvIII) is a variant of EGFR that is an excellent target for immunotherapy because of its expression in cancer cells and not in normal cells. 

The Hippo signaling pathway regulates a multitude of biological processes including cell proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, tissue homeostasis, and stem cell functions. This axis has been recently listed as one of the top 10 signaling pathways altered in human cancer. Its role in modulating cell growth and proliferation is mediated by the activation of Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) and transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding domain (TAZ).

Previously described epidermal growth factor receptor- (EGFR) driven tumor mouse models develop diffuse tumors, which are dissimilar to human lung tumor morphology and difficult to measure by CT and MRI scans. Scientists at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have developed and characterized a genetically engineered mouse (GEM) model of human EGFR-driven tumor model (hEGFR-TL) that recapitulates the discrete lung tumor nodules similar to those found in human lung tumor morphology.

Primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL) is an aggressive type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that mostly occurs in people between the ages of 30-40. It accounts for 5-7% of all aggressive lymphomas. The diagnosis of PMBCL is challenging as the histological features of PMBCL overlap with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), another most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Available evidence suggests that PMBCL responds much more favorably to the DA-EPOCH-R chemotherapy regimen than to the standard R-CHOP regimen used to treat DLBCL.

Ovarian cancer is one of the most common and lethal types of gynecological malignancies worldwide, accounting for approximately 295,000 new cases and 185,000 deaths annually. The high lethality rate is due to multiple reasons, including recurrence and the resistance of recurrent tumors to chemotherapy. Cell line models are crucial for preclinical cancer studies, to identify mechanisms of disease, to study drug resistance, and to screen for candidate therapeutics. 

Early detection of liver cancer, such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is key to improve cancer-related mortality. More than 800,000 people are diagnosed with this cancer each year throughout the world. Liver cancer is also a leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide, accounting for more than 700,000 deaths each year. Currently, millions of Americans and possibly billions in the world are considered at risk for developing liver cancer.

Nanoparticles such as lipid-based nanoparticles (LNPs) represent a relatively new era of targeted drug delivery systems wherein these biocompatible particles can carry the drug(s) of interest to a specific tumor site. The new generation of nanoparticles, known as stealth nanoparticles, are engineered to have a coating of polyethylene glycol polymer (PEG) or other glycolipids that enable them to evade the immune system and have a longer circulation lifespan as well as improved bioavailability to diseased tissue and reduced non-specific toxicity.
 

The thymus is an integral part of the adaptive immune system as it generates T cells. Its function diminishes rapidly as the body ages, leading to a compromise of the immune system in the elderly. Reconstitution of adaptive immunity through mass production of different T cell types is therefore a therapeutic need in immunocompromised populations. Furthermore, production of T cells with specific receptors targeting cancer cells is an important cancer immunotherapy approach.

Cancer cells can spread to various regions in the body in a process called metastasis which is associated with non-responsive to treatment and thus reduced survival. Identifying the markers of metastasis has been a major concern in the field of cancer diagnosis and therapy. Interestingly, research has shown that there is an increase in myeloid progenitors and myeloid cells at various stages of metastasis in an attempt by the immune system to  suppress cancer cells. This presents a promising technology for cancer immunotherapy.