Ravand Samaeekia received a BS in biology from the Baha'i Institute for Higher Education (BIHE) in Iran in 2007. For his BS thesis project, his focus was to utilize tissue and cell culture techniques as well as hormonal combinations to produce a strain of lilium flower with enhanced genetic and morphological traits. He received his MS in cell and molecular biology from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 2012; meanwhile, he conducted his MS thesis project on Alzheimer disease at the Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer Disease Center at Northwestern University, under the supervision of Professor Changiz Geula. He then joined Professor Geoffrey Greene's lab at the University of Chicago Ben May Department for Cancer Research, working on the diagnostic and medicinal significance of microRNAs on breast cancer treatment. Beginning in November 2013, he joined the Tirrell Lab at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, conducting research on the onco-immunology applications of peptide amphiphile-based nano particles.
The process of programmed cell death (apoptosis) is almost universally disrupted in cancer cells, which gives them the ability to divide unlimitedly and become immortal. Ravand's research is focused on reactivating apoptosis in leukemia cancer cells through delivering small peptides that either inhibit antiapoptotic or induce proapoptotic proteins/pathways. Nanoparticles have proven to be a rather effective delivery platform for medicinal peptides. In this study, Ravand synthesizes micelle-type nanoparticles that are fabricated from peptide amphiphiles, performs functional assays to confirm their bioactivity, and aims to use them as the delivery system in an effective and nontoxic dose in vitro and in vivo.
Ion Specificity Influences on the Structure of Zwitterionic Brushes
Macromolecules 2023, 56, 5, 1945–1953
Sequence-Controlled Secondary Structures and Stimuli Responsiveness of Bioinspired Polyampholytes
Biomacromolecules 2022, 23, 9, 3798–3809
Harnessing the therapeutic potential of biomacromolecules through intracellular delivery of nucleic acids, peptides and proteins
Yu Tian, Matthew V. Tirrell, James L. LaBelle. "Harnessing the therapeutic potential of biomacromolecules through intracellular delivery of nucleic acids, peptides and proteins". Advanced Healthcare Materials, 2022.
Targeted polyelectrolyte complex micelles treat vascular complications in vivo
Zhengjie Zhou, Chih-Fan Yeh, Michael Mellas, Myung-Jin Oh, Jiayu Zhu, Jin Li, Ru-Ting Huang, Devin L Harrison, Tzu-Pin Shentu, David Wu, Michael Lueckheide, Lauryn Carver, Eun Ji Chung, Lorraine Leon, Kai-Chien Yang, Matthew V Tirrell, Yun Fang. "Targeted polyelectrolyte complex micelles treat vascular complications in vivo", PNAS.
Protein primary structure correlates with calcium oxalate stone matrix preference
Yu Tian, Matthew Tirrell, Carley Davis, Jeffrey A Wesson. "Protein primary structure correlates with calcium oxalate stone matrix preference". Plos One, 2021, e0257515.
Polyampholyte physics: Liquid–liquid phase separation and biological condensates
Dinic, Jelena, Amanda B. Marciel, and Matthew V. Tirrell. "Polyampholyte physics: Liquid–liquid phase separation and biological condensates." Current opinion in colloid & interface science 54 (2021): 101457.
Polymersomes Decorated with the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Receptor-Binding Domain Elicit Robust Humoral and Cellular Immunity
"Polymersomes Decorated with the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Receptor-Binding Domain Elicit Robust Humoral and Cellular Immunity". ACS Cent. Sci. 2021, 7, 8, 1368-1380.
Advances in the Structural Design of Polyelectrolyte Complex Micelles
Alexander E. Marras, Jeffrey M. Ting, Kaden C. Stevens, and Matthew V. Tirrell. "Advances in the Structural Design of Polyelectrolyte Complex Micelles". J. Phys. Chem. B, 2021, 125, 26, 7076-7089.
Physical Property Scaling Relationships for Polyelectrolyte Complex Micelles
Alexander E. Marras, Trinity R. Campagna, Jeffrey R. Vieregg, and Matthew V. Tirrell. "Physical Property Scaling Relationships for Polyelectrolyte Complex Micelles". Macromolecules, 2021, 54, 13, 6585-6594.
Effect of Solvent Quality on the Phase Behavior of Polyelectrolyte Complexes
Lu Li, Artem M Rumyantsev, Samanvaya Srivastava, Siqi Meng, Juan J de Pablo, Matthew V Tirrell. "Effect of Solvent Quality on the Phase Behavior of Polyelectrolyte Complexes", Macromolecules, 2020.