Projects per year
Personal profile
Personal Statement
RESEARCH OVERVIEW
Our research mission can be divided into bottom up, curiosity-driven fundamental research and top-down, challenge-based activities: the common thread to these activities are biomaterials, especially silk. Current research in the Seib lab spans the nano- to macro scale in the examination of silk for use in drug and cell delivery.
Personal lab webpage is at:
www.SeibLab.com
Silk-based drug delivery systems
We have a particular interest in exploring the use of silk for drug and cell delivery applications. Silk is an approved biopolymer for use in humans and has remarkable physical properties (e.g. it is tougher than any manmade fibre). Silk, a common suture material, has long been recognised for its biocompatibility and biodegradability. We are using it as a scaffold for tissue engineering and as a biopolymer for drug and cell delivery. Silk can be processed under mild aqueous conditions to generate several biomedically useful formats, including self-assembling silk hydrogels, nanoparticles, films and scaffolds.
Advanced drug delivery systems: the cellular response
We study the cellular response of drug delivery systems, including nanomedicines. Nanomedicines are specifically engineered, multiple-component, nanosized drugs and drug delivery systems whose use is emerging as a promising approach for treating many diseases, including cancer. The drug payloads of nanomedicines can differ widely, but the effectiveness of any nanomedicine relies on its ability to reach the tumour microenvironment. In addition, the nanomedicine often must deliver its drug payload to a specific internal cell compartment in order to yield the desired therapeutic effect. One of the bottlenecks for the translation of nanomedicines into clinical practice is the lack of suitable model systems for monitoring the cellular fate of nanomedicines, both in vitro and in vivo. Our laboratory focuses on the development of a repertoire of technologies for studying the cellular responses of nanomedicines. Our interests span the range from intracellular trafficking to application-oriented biocompatibility testing.
Engineering cellular microenvironments for stem and cancer cells
Our in vitro research focuses on overcoming the issues that arise when stem cells are studied in a highly artificial context that ignores their native microenvironment. The typical in vitro cell culture environment strips cells of most of the contextual signals and physical cues that arise from accessory cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM) found in intact tissues (e.g. tumours). The standard culture substrate for cells is treated polystyrene, which not only fails to mimic the complexity of the actual cell microenvironment, but also generates an artificial two-dimensional cell layer. We are developing a number of culture systems that better reflect the cellular microenvironments that occur in healthy and diseased tissues, including the three-dimensional space that stem cells normally occupy in a tissue.
We have recently extended the concept of an engineered stem cell microenvironment to three-dimensional scaffolds that are implanted in vivo and can serve as “traps” for circulating tumour cells. An emerging paradigm is that the stem cell niche can be hijacked by circulating tumour cells during the process of cancer metastasis. We are exploiting this feature to engineer artificial in vivo stem cell niches that selectively lure and trap cancer cells within the scaffold. The outcome of these studies will be unique new strategies for cancer therapy.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Projects
- 18 Finished
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NMR-BASE: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance for Biomolecule Analysis in Supported Environments
Parkinson, J. (Principal Investigator), Burley, G. (Co-investigator), Dufès, C. (Co-investigator), Irving, C. (Co-investigator), Jamieson, C. (Co-investigator), Scott, F. (Co-investigator), Seib, P. (Co-investigator) & Taladriz Sender, A. (Co-investigator)
BBSRC (Biotech & Biological Sciences Research Council)
1/08/23 → 31/07/24
Project: Research
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Establishing cerebral organoids as a human model of stroke
Carswell, H. (Principal Investigator), Bushell, T. (Co-investigator), McMullen, C. (Co-investigator) & Seib, P. (Co-investigator)
4/01/23 → 3/01/25
Project: Research
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The dawning era of anticancer nanomedicines: from first principles to application of silk nanoparticles
Matthew, S. A. L. & Seib, F. P., 31 Jan 2025, In: Advanced Therapeutics. 8, 1, 26 p., 2400130.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Citation (Scopus)4 Downloads (Pure) -
Biomimetic silk nanoparticle manufacture: calcium ion-mediated assembly
Roamcharern, N., Matthew, S. A. L., Brady, D. J., Parkinson, J. A., Rattray, Z. & Seib, F. P., 30 Jan 2025, (E-pub ahead of print) In: ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile
Datasets
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Data for: "The biologically active biopolymer silk:The antibacterial effects of solubilised Bombyx mori silk fibroin with common wound pathogens"
Egan, G. (Creator), Seib, P. (Supervisor), Connolly, P. (Supervisor), Hannah, A. (Creator) & Donnelly, S. (Creator), University of Strathclyde, 5 Feb 2024
DOI: 10.15129/8ac55526-a7cc-4363-bc4b-38a9c9b146d0
Dataset
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Data for: "Smart Silk Origami as Eco-Sensors for Environmental Pollution"
Matthew, S. (Creator), Egan, G. (Creator), Witte, K. (Creator), Kaewchuchuen, J. (Creator), Phuagkhaopong, S. (Creator), Totten, J. (Creator) & Seib, P. (Supervisor), University of Strathclyde, 20 Apr 2022
DOI: 10.15129/47cd5ff3-126e-4e7a-a7a1-6eca449fd490
Dataset
Prizes
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Fellow Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden
Seib, P. (Recipient), 2018
Prize: National/international honour
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Fellow of The Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Great Britain
Seib, P. (Recipient), 17 Feb 2021
Prize: National/international honour
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Bioengineering (Journal)
Rattray, Z. (Guest editor), Seib, P. (Guest editor) & Patel, A. (Guest editor)
Jan 2022 → Sept 2022Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Editorial board member
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Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology (Journal)
Seib, P. (Peer reviewer)
3 Sept 2021Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Journal peer review
Equipment
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SINGLE SYRINGE INFU
Strathclyde Institute Of Pharmacy And Biomedical SciencesFacility/equipment: Equipment
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