The Cancer Center is dedicated to furthering basic science research as it pertains to the advancement of cancer detection and treatment. We are committed to supporting promising young scientists at the University of California, Santa Barbara through our post-doctoral fellowship program.
 
   Our most recent post-doctoral fellow selection, Gary Braun, Ph.D., continues our committment to cutting edge science research. His project is uniquely sophisticated in terms of scientific approach and novelty, yet is also immediately applicable to today’s cancer patients.  As Dr. Braun enters his first post-doctoral year in the laboratory of Erkki Ruoslahti, M.D., Ph.D. of the Burnham Institute for Medical Research at UCSB, it is feasible that we are witnessing the birth of a new generation of cancer detection and treatment strategies.

    A chemical engineer with a strong interest in biology, Dr. Braun’s career is focused on biological applications of nanomaterials (very small specially engineered particles made from metal). His multi-disciplinary approach has resulted in what may sound like science fiction but will actually be a near-term reality for cancer diagnosis and treatment. In short, his work aims to deliver therapeutic agents to cancer cells with exquisite specificity, zeroing in exclusively on the cancer cells while avoiding healthy cells.

   At the same time, the technology he is developing will enable unparalleled tumor imaging capabilities. In laymen’s terms, this is accomplished by coating very small metal balls with special tags and “homing” proteins, forming a nanoparticle complex. When treated with a certain wavelength of radiation, the nanoparticle complex reflects energy back at wavelengths characteristic of the special tags so that it is easy to determine the position and concentration of the particle. The “homing” protein on the complex serves to localize the nanoparticle complex to specific tumor cells or tissues. Thus, the nanoparticle complex can zero in on specific tumor cells and can provide a very detailed image of where the tumor is located in the body or organ. For example - the metal ball in the nanoparticle complex can be loaded with a cargo, such as a therapeutic agent or genetic material that can silence gene expression, thereby “turning off” the root of the cancer. The ball is cleaved open when “zapped” with near infrared radiation, thus releasing the cargo into specifically targeted cells - a direct hit every time with no collateral damage!

    Dr. Braun’s project involves many of the major laboratories at UCSB, combining the best of physics, biology, and chemistry. The Cancer Center is excited to support his work and we look forward to following his progress in the coming years.