Chemical Engineering Student Lauren Gerbereux Wins PEAK Experiences Summit Award
Lauren Gerbereux, a fourth-year Chemical Engineering undergraduate student, recently received the PEAK Experiences Summit Research Award for her project entitled, “Development of a Gene Therapy Platform for Treatment of Normocytic Normochromic Anemia.” The Office of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships grants this award to individuals who have demonstrated a passion for research and a high level of sophistication and skill developed from previous academic endeavors. This project will be executed under the mentorship of Professor Sidi A. Bencherif.
Lauren will develop a gene therapy platform to treat normocytic normochromic anemia, a common complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD). It is estimated to impact approximately 5 million people with CKD in the United States alone as of 2010. This particular form of anemia is defined by a deficiency in erythropoietin (EPO), a hormone responsible for stimulating red blood cell production, as a result of failing kidneys. As CKD progresses, normocytic normochromic anemia becomes very severe, requiring frequent injections of EPO, which is a huge hassle for patients. This method is highly invasive and expensive, and the injections become decreasingly effective as patients naturally build up resistance. To tackle this issue, Lauren’s project seeks to generate a new treatment for this disease that is minimally invasive and more convenient for the patient with long-term expression of EPO.
Lauren’s proposed gene therapy platform merges two technologies: traditional gene therapies and biomaterials. Gene therapies are conventionally injected systemically, requiring the vehicles carrying the genetic cargo to travel to the site of therapeutic interest. However, typically the gene delivery vehicles are degraded in the body, rendering them ineffective. To overcome this, Lauren will load the delivery vehicles into a biomaterial called a cryogel. The LAMP Biomaterials Laboratory at Northeastern University headed by Prof. Sidi A. Bencherif specializes in this biomaterial and has previously demonstrated that cryogels are versatile and can be applied as a drug delivery device. Lauren will expand on the versatility of this technology by applying injectable cryogels to the field of gene therapy for the first time. The cryogel will be injected locally, and it is hypothesized that the gene delivery vehicles will interact with cells in the gel to generate a therapeutic effect. For treating normocytic normochromic anemia, cells will be induced to produce EPO in sustained fashion at a therapeutic level. Success of this proof-of-concept application will open a new door in gene therapy – creating opportunities to treat more complicated diseases like diabetes or heart disease.
Lauren will graduate from Northeastern University in December 2021 with a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree of Science in Chemical Engineering and a minor in Biochemical Engineering. She reflects, “Working in various scientific fields through co-ops and academic research projects has provided me with the insight to cross disciplines in my research. I truly believe that this approach will be essential in generating more effective therapies for the future.”
Main Photo of student Lauren Gerbereux changing cell culture media in a laminar flow hood.