Welcome to the Center for Targeted Therapeutics and Translational Nanomedicine
CT3N is a joint interdisciplinary venture between the Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM) and the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS), with the mission to facilitate and accelerate translational research in targeted therapeutics and nanomedicines by bringing together the many leading laboratories active in these areas at the University of Pennsylvania, CHOP and surrounding academic institutions. Research areas being pursued by CT3N faculty include design of biomaterials and carriers for drug delivery, identification of molecular targets for cell-specific delivery, studies of targeting, binding, sub-cellular trafficking and metabolism of targeted drugs.
2025 CT3N Symposium
"Targeting the CNS"
Hold the date: December 3, 2025
Missed the 2024 CT3N Symposium?
View the recordings here
CT3N Faculty Publication Highlights
Patel et al., Nature Commun. (2025) / Jake Brenner lab
Congratulations to Vladimir Muzykantov, MD, PhD, on his Founders Professorship of Nanoparticle Research!
Celebration on January 16th, with Profs. E. John Wherry, Vlad Muzykantov, Drew Weissman, and Jonathan A. Epstein
Muzykantov lab members and alumni
Upcoming Events
Faculty in the News
First of Its Kind Gene Therapy Model Offers Hope for X-Linked Sideroblastic Anemia Treatment (Hamideh Parhiz)
Thursday, January 2, 2025
Christopher Murray Named 2024 NAI Fellow
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
A Lipid Nanoparticle Delivers mRNA Cure for Pre-eclampsia (Mike Mitchell)
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
The 2024 NEMO Prize Will Support Research in Self-Administrable DNA Therapy (Jake Brenner)
Friday, November 8, 2024
Featured Faculty
Drew Weissman, M.D., Ph.D., 2023 Nobel Co-Laureate in Physiology or Medicine
Dr. Weissman is a professor of Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. He received his graduate degrees from Boston University School of Medicine. Dr. Weissman, in collaboration with Dr. Katalin Karikó, discovered the ability of modified nucleosides in RNA to suppress activation of innate immune sensors and increase the translation of mRNA containing certain modified nucleosides. The nucleoside-modified mRNA-lipid nanoparticle vaccine platform Dr. Weissman’s lab created is used in the first 2 approved COVID-19 vaccines by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna. They continue to develop other vaccines that induce potent antibody and T cell responses with mRNA–based vaccines. Dr. Weissman’s lab also develops methods to replace genetically deficient proteins, edit the genome, and specifically target cells and organs with mRNA-LNPs, including lung, heart, brain, CD4+ cells, all T cells, and bone marrow stem cells.
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