Research placement at the University of Vienna - Esme Hutton

Thanks to the DiMeN flexible supplement, I was able to travel to Austria for a week to receive training from the Rademacher group at the University of Vienna in the synthesis of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). An important part of my project is being able to target the delivery of mRNA encoding a glycan-remodelling enzyme specifically to cancer cells. LNPs are an ideal way of doing this, as their lipid components can be functionalised with targeting molecules, limiting their uptake to specific cell types.

During my visit, I produced targeted LNPs specific to PSMA, a protein on the surface of prostate cancer cells. Receiving funding to travel to Vienna in person meant I was able to simultaneously learn the techniques required to make these LNPs, and apply these skills to my own project. This was incredibly valuable, especially since it gave me the opportunity to troubleshoot things in real time when they didn’t go quite as expected. I have since begun testing the LNPs I produced in cell culture studies, and have started to see some promising results.

In addition to allowing me to progress to the next step of my project, this training visit was also a valuable learning opportunity, allowing me to experience the process of LNP formulation from start to finish. In the future, this will equip me with the knowledge to apply these techniques in my own research, and hopefully to pass these skills on to other members of the lab. Production of LNPs as delivery vectors is a highly desirable skill due to their potential applications in vaccine design, drug delivery and gene therapy, so the scope of this training is not limited to my own research topic.

It was also a great experience getting to spend time in another research group, building collaborations which will hopefully continue even now that my visit is complete. I extend a huge thank you to the Rademacher group at the University of Vienna for the valuable training opportunity, and to DiMeN for providing the funding for my travel and accommodation, making this visit possible!