20th International Symposium on

Recent Advances in Drug Delivery Systems

Tuesday, February 23, 2027 - Friday, February 26, 2027
University Guest House & Conference Center 
110 South Fort Douglas Boulevard, Salt Lake City, Utah 84113

About RADDS

Welcome to the website of the 20th international symposium on recent advances in drug delivery systems to be held on February 23-26, 2027, on the University of Utah campus. This year’s symposium features internationally recognized speakers as well as poster presentations covering topics on innovations in biomaterials for drug delivery, advances in tumor targeting, immunotherapy, and theranostics, artificial intelligence and machine learning for formulation design, and novel approaches for lipid nanoparticle-mediated gene delivery. This symposium series inaugurated in 1983, is a long standing premier drug delivery conference held in Utah. We invite you to join the symposium, enjoy the scientific presentations, camaraderie, and the beautiful scenery of Salt Lake City and surroundings.

Speakers

Mingnan Chen

University of Utah

Pad Chivukula

Arcturus Therapeutics

Owen Fenton

UNC Chapel Hill

Wei Gao

California Institute of Technology

David Grainger

University of Utah

Piotr Grodzinski

National Institute of Health

Rainer Haag

Free University of Berlin

Sarah Hedtrich

University of British Columbia

Inge Herrmann

ETH Zurich

Quanyin Hu

University of Wisconsin

Zeinab Jahed

UC San Diego

Allison Keeler

UMass Amherst

Markita Landry

UC Berkeley

Yeh-Hsing Lao

University at Buffalo

Roger Luo

Purdue University

Ronit Mazor

U.S. Food and Drug Administration

KC Mei

University of Utah

Lutz Nuhn

University of Würzburg

Jae-Hyung Park

Sungkyunkwan University

Karthik Raman

Persist AI

Kannan Rangaramanujam

Johns Hopkins University

Steve Roffler

Academia Sinica

Gaurav Sahay

University of Oregon

Ronit Satchi-Fainaro

Tel Aviv University

Dmitri Simberg

University of Colorado

Molly Stevens

Oxford University

Hannah Zierden

University of Maryland

Abstract Submission and Registration

Abstract submission deadline is January 15, 2027.

Click here to download the abstract template. The abstracts should be sent to RADDS@pharm.utah.edu by January 15, 2027.

Registration information:

Early registration by January 22, 2027

Student/Postdoc $200 | Faculty $400 | Industry $600

Late registration by February 12, 2027

Student/Postdoc $250 | Faculty $500 | Industry $700

International Advisory Board

Kristy Ainslie | University of North Carolina | Chapel Hill, North Carolina USA

Khuloud Al-Jamal | Hong Kong University | Hong Kong 

Christine Allen | University of Toronto | Toronto, Canada  

Paolo Caliceti | University of Padua | Padua, Italy  

Xiaoyuan Chen | National University of Singapore | Singapore   

Stefaan De Smedt | Ghent University | Gent, Belgium  

Tejal Desai | Brown University | Providence, Rhode Island USA

Tomáš Etrych | Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry | Prague, Czech Republic  

Elias Fattal | Paris-Saclay University | Chatenay Malabry, France  

Zhen Gu | Zhejiang University College | Hangzhou, China  

Alexander Kabanov | University of North Carolina | Chapel Hill, North Carolina USA

Kazunori Kataoka | Kawasaki Institute of Industrial Promotion | Kawasaki, Japan  

Glen Kwon | University of Wisconsin | Madison, Wisconsin USA

Ick Chan Kwon | Korea Institute of Science and Technology | Seoul, Republic of Korea

Twan Lammers | RWTH Aachen University Medical Faculty | Aachen, Germany  

Claus-Michael Lehr | Helmholtz-Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland & Saarland University | Saarbrucken, Germany  

Kam Leong | Columbia University | New York, New York USA

Jean-Christophe Leroux | Federal Institute of Technology | Zurich, Switzerland

Olivia Merkel | Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität | München, Germany  

Tamara Minko | Rutgers University | New Brunswick, New Jersey USA

Samir Mitragotri | Harvard University | Boston, Massachusetts USA

Vladimir Muzykantov | University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA

Yu-Kyoung Oh | Seoul National University | Seoul, Republic of Korea  

Vandana Patravale | Institute of Chemical Technology | Mumbai, India  

Amirali Popat | The University of Queensland | Woolloongabba, Australia 

Suzie Pun | University of Washington | Seattle, Washington USA

Aliasger Salem | The University of Iowa | Iowa City, Iowa USA

Rana Sanyal | Bogazici University | Istanbul, Türkiye  

Ronit Satchi-Fainaro | Tel Aviv University | Tel Aviv, Israel  

Dmitri Simberg | University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus | Aurora, Colorado USA

Patrick Stayton | University of Washington | Seattle, Washington USA

Nicole Steinmetz | University of California San Diego | San Diego, California USA

Molly Stevens | University of Oxford | Oxford, United Kingdom   

Xun Sun | West China School of Pharmacy | Chengdu, China  

María Vicent | Principe Felipe | Valencia, Spain 

Yoon Yeo | Purdue University | Lafayette, Indiana USA

Zhiyuan Zhong | Soochow University | Suzhou, China

Organizing Committee

Hamid Ghandehari | University of Utah | Symposium Chair

Taslim Al-Hilal | University of Utah

Minghan Chen | University of Utah

Shreya Goel | University of Utah

Shawn Owen | University of Utah

Kuo Ching Mei | University of Utah

Nitish Khurana | University of Utah

Cansu Ümran Tunç | University of Utah

 

Join Our Sponsors

Preliminary Conference Agenda

Agenda is subject to change

Tuesday, February 23, 2027
Times TBD
Optional Ski Outing (more details coming)
Brighton Ski Resort
4:30 – 7:00 PMOnsite Registration Granite Balllroom Lobby
6 PM
WELCOME RECEPTION
Granite Ballroom
Wednesday, February 24, 2027
7 AM
REGISTRATION & BREAKFAST
Douglas Ballroom Lobby
8 – 8:15 AM
WELCOME REMARKS
Douglas Ballroom 
8:15 – 9:00 AM
PLENARY LECTURE
Douglas Ballroom
8:15 – 11:30 AM
SESSION 1
  
  
  
11:30 AM – 1:30 PM
SESSION 2
POSTER SESSION AND LUNCH
Granite Ballroom
1:30 – 3:00 PM
SESSION 3
 
Douglas Ballroom
3:00 – 3:30 PMCOFFEE BREAK
  
  
  
 
3:30 – 5:00 PM
SESSION 4
Granite Ballroom
2:30 – 5 PM
SESSION IV
Moderators: Hagar Labouta, Nobuhiro Nishiyama
Douglas Ballroom
2:30 PM
A Futuristic (or not so?) Approach for Assessing Nanoparticles Immunotoxicity
Marina Dobrovolskaia, Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research
3 PM
Controlling Timing and Location in Vaccine Delivery
Darrell J. Irvine, Scripps Research
3:30 PM
Engineering Tolerance: Acetalated Dextran Microparticles in the Generation of B-regs and T-regs
Kristy Ainslie, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
4 PM
Nanomedicine Hitchhiking with Immune Cells in Cancer and Inflammation
Alexandros Marios Sofias, RWTH Aachen University Hospital
4:30 PM
Harnessing possibilities: Extracellular Vesicles as the Upcoming Breakthrough in Treatment Approaches
In-San Kim, Korea Institute Science & Technology
Thursday, February 25, 2027
7 AM
REGISTRATION & BREAKFAST
Douglas Ballroom Lobby
8 – 10 AM
SESSION V
Moderators: Yue Lu, Kam Leong    
Douglas Ballroom
8 AM
Multiscale Engineering of Immune Cells Using Organoids and Nanowires 
Ankur Singh, Georgia Tech and Emory University School of Medicine
8:30 AM
Engineering Extracellular Vesicles as Nanotherapeutics for Cardiovascular Disease
Eun Ji Chung, University of Southern California
9 AM
Lipid Nanoparticle-Based mRNA Delivery for Retinal Therapies
Katrien Remaut, Ghent University
9:30 AM
Sticky Solutions: Probiotics, Velcro, and Zippers in Targeted Therapies
Juliane Nguyen, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
10 – 10:30 AM
COFFEE BREAK
 
10:30 AM – 12:30 PM
SESSION VI
Moderators: Olivia Merkel, Ronald Siegel
Douglas Ballroom
10:30 AM
Peptide-based Nanomaterials for Precision Medicine in the Injured Brain
Ester Kwon, University of California San Diego
11 AM
Bioengineering Models to Study Cell-specific Durotaxis in Fibrotic and Lung Diseases 
Taslim Al-Hilal, University of Utah
11:30 AM
Using Microfluidics to Drive Innovation in Nanomedicine
Hagar Labouta, University of Toronto
12 PM
Engineering and Controlling Biohybrid and Bioinspired Microrobots for Magnetically Enhanced Drug Delivery
Simone Schuerle, ETH Zürich
12:30 – 1:30 PM
LUNCH
 
1:30 – 2:45 PM
SESSION VII: Poster Session & Coffee
Granite Ballroom
2:45 – 4:45 PM
SESSION VIII
Moderators: Naama Geva-Zatorsky, Mingnan Chen
Douglas Ballroom
2:45 PM
Vascular Drug Delivery: Fortuitous Homing vs Cognizant Targeting
Vladimir R. Muzykantov, University of Pennsylvania
3:15 PM
Building Hybrid Biologics for Therapeutics and Diagnostics
Shawn Owen, University of Utah
3:45 PM
Bioengineering Cell-Based Therapeutics From Benchside to Bedside
Omid Veiseh, Rice University
4:15 PM
Prodrug/Enzyme Intranasal Delivery for Rapid Prevention or Reversal of Seizure Emergency
Ronald A. Siegel, University of Minnesota
7 PM
BANQUET
Granite Ballroom
Friday, February 26, 2027
8 AM
BREAKFAST
 
9 AM – 12 PM
SESSION IX
Moderators: Adam Gormley, Shreya Goel
Douglas Ballroom
9 AM
Drug Delivery Across Biological Barriers to Combat Bacterial Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance
Claus-Michael Lehr, Helmholtz-Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland & Saarland University
9:30 AM
Functional Plasticity in Microbiota-Host Interactions
Naama Geva-Zatorsky, Technion- Israel Institute of Technology
10 AM
Core-shell Design of Nanomedicine for Targeted Delivery of Biopharmaceuticals
Nobuhiro Nishiyama, Tokyo Institute of Technology
10:30 AM
Anticipating a New Wave of HPMA-Based Copolymer-drug Conjugates: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives in Cancer Therapy
Jiyuan (Jane) Yang, University of Utah
11 AM
Awards for Posters and Presentations
11:30 AM
Closing Remarks
11:45 AM
LUNCH

Sponsors

Venue

Conference Venue and Hotel Information

Conference Venue:

University Guest House & Conference Center
110 S. Fort Douglad Boulevard, SLC Utah, 84113
(hotel located on the University of Utah campus, ~20 minutes from airport, ~10 min from downtown)

Method of Reservations:

Reservations for the Event will be made by individual attendees directly at 1(888)416-4075 or (801) 587-1000. 

Hotel room cutoff date for the group rate is January 23, 2027.  After that date, the hotel will take reservations directly on a space available basis.  Please call 1(888)416-4075 or (801) 587-1000.

Additional Hotel options:

*Please note contracted room blocks have not been set up at the Marriott University Park or the Hampton Inn & Suites. Rates and availability will vary.  

Marriott University Park
801-581-1000
(~5 minutes from University Guest House)

Hampton Inn & Suites 
801-583-3500
(~10 minutes from University Guest House)

Local Information

Ski with RADDS

Join your colleagues from RADDS on an optional ski outing! Included in the cost (TBD) of the outing:

  • Lift ticket to Brighton Ski Resort in Big Cottonwood Canyon
  • Equipment rentals 
  • Transportation to and from the mountain

If you are interested in skiing with RADDS on Tuesday, February 23, 2027, please indicate your interest in your conference registration, and more information will be provided when it is available.

See you on the slopes!

Visiting Salt Lake City and Utah

Salt Lake City lies in a mountain valley with the Wasatch Mountains to the east and north. The Oquirrh (pronounced “oaker”) Mountains border the western edge of the valley. Salt Lake’s official elevation is 4,330 feet/1,320 meters above sea level. The city is situated on land once covered by the prehistoric Lake Bonneville. This ancient lake existed within portions of Utah, Nevada, and Idaho, with an elevation rising from 4,200 feet to 5,200 feet (1,280 meters to 1,585 meters) at some points. The eastern and northern portions of the city are located on a series of terraces, or former beaches, which are known locally as “the benches.” 

  • Utah is in the Mountain Time Zone and uses Daylight Savings Time
  • City Elevation: 4,330 feet; 1,320 meters 
  • Nearby Mountains: (Snowbird base) 8,100 feet; 2,469 meters 

Things to Do in Salt Lake City

Salt Lake has a way of drawing people who might be called intellectual adventurers. Lovers of art and culture, nature and outdoors. And while there’s no shortage of places to bar hop (hey, no judgments!), we invite you to really get to know Salt Lake – its natural beauty, family-friendly attractions, enriching history, sporting spirit, and some truly “Only in Utah” experiences. Curious? You’ve come to the right place.

Getting around town

Ski Utah

Utah is home to The Greatest Snow on Earth® and some of the best ski resorts around. Here you’ll find endless pockets of powder, snowy red rock views, welcoming slope side culture, and the unmatched accessibility of it all. No matter what brings you to ski or ride in Utah, make sure you have enough time to take it all in.

Adjusting to the Higher Altitude in Utah 

Adjusting from a low-altitude locale to the higher altitude of Salt Lake, or Park City (7,000+ feet/2000+ meters) may cause some visitors to exhibit some mildly uncomfortable symptoms like these: 

  • headaches
  • dehydration 
  • body aches (“flu”-like symptoms in the muscles and joints) 

How can you adjust comfortably to the higher altitude and avoid or diminish  these kinds of symptoms? 

First and foremost: Drink plenty of water! Utah’s water—right from the faucet—is clean, pure, healthy, and delightful. You’ll enjoy drinking LOTS of Utah water! Keeping your body hydrated is very important because high altitudes can dehydrate your system. This can be further complicated in arid regions like Utah. AND “jet-lag” can make matters worse! Water assists your body in flushing toxins, which is critical because altitude affects the body’s ability to dispose of carbon dioxide through breathing. Keep drinking water. Remember that if you feel thirsty, you have waited too long to drink. 

If possible, on the first day you arrive, REST—and avoid strenuous exercise—to give your body time to adjust. Small and frequent meals of protein and complex carbohydrates can help keep symptoms to a minimum. Drink water BEFORE you feel thirsty!