Research
Cecilia Leal researches lipids, peptides, and nucleic acid assemblies to advance understanding of their function; as well as design new materials for the delivery of drugs and genes to cells. She is the Principal Investigator of the Leal Research Lab – and her team discovered a new type of non-viral siRNA delivery vehicle – that allows the localized release of drugs in precisely controlled, patient-specific time sequences. Leal has developed liposomal formulations to efficiently release cancer drugs as a response to acoustic stimulus. She also studies oxygen transfer in diseased lung tissue using sensors to measure oxygen permeation between biological surfaces.
Education
- Ph.D., Physical Chemistry, University of Lund
Campus Affiliations
- Racheff Faculty Fellow, Materials Science and Engineering
- Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
- Professor, Bioengineering
- Professor, Materials Research Lab
- Professor, Biomedical and Translational Sciences
- Professor, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
Select Honors and Recognitions
- NSF CAREER Award, 2016
- NIH Director’s New Innovator Award, 2016
- National Science Foundation CAREER Award, 2016
Why I Study Cancer (or watch here)
A Closer Look at Cecilia Leal’s Research (or watch here)
What You Might Not Know About Cecilia Leal (or watch here)