Hamid Ghandehari, PhD

Title: Chair, Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry

Languages spoken: English

Academic Information

Departments: Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry - Professor, Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery - Adjunct Professor

Academic Office Information

hamid.ghandehari@pharm.utah.edu

Research Interests

Nanotechnology
Nanotubes
Self-assembled super intelligent nanoparticulates for sensitive and resistant tumor targeting
Drug Delivery Systems
Polymeric drug delivery systems
Targeted Drug Delivery Systems
Targeting mechanisms to enhance drug delivery and efficacy

Hamid Ghandehari, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Pharmaceutics, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, and Bioengineering at the University of Utah, and a member of the Experimental Therapeutics Program at Huntsman Cancer Institute. Ghandehari is also a faculty member with the Utah Science Technology and Research Initiative (USTAR) at the University of Utah.

Ghandehari studies new ways to deliver targeted cancer therapies. He researches the design of polymers for targeted delivery of drugs to tumors. He is the co-founder and co-director of the Nano Institute of Utah. A major focus of the Nano Institute is collaboration on the University of Utah campus and beyond to advance the growing field of cancer nanotechnology.

Ghandehari earned both a bachelor's degree and PhD from the University of Utah.

Research Statement

The main focus of research in our laboratory is the development of novel methods for controlled delivery of bioactive agents. Four areas are being explored: 1) Genetically engineered polymers for gene delivery Recombinant DNA technology has enabled the synthesis of protein-based polymers with precisely controlled structures. Control over polymer structure at the molecular level has important implications for controlled delivery applications. The idea is that by using recombinant techniques it is possible to systematically correlate polymer structure with gene release and transfer. Our main focus is on gene therapy applications in the treatment of head and neck and breast cancer. 2) Water-soluble polymers for targeted delivery Targeted delivery of bioactive agents by water soluble polymers can increase efficacy and reduce toxicity. The synthesis, characterization and biological evaluation of targetable N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymers for targeted delivery to angiogenic blood vessels of solid tumors are being investigated. 3) Poly (amidoamine) dendrimers for oral delivery Nano-scale poly (amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers of appropriate size and charge can be transported across the gastrointestinal epithelial cells with minimal or no toxicity. The influence of variables such as size, geometry, charge, surface functionality and drug loading on the mechanism and rate of transport of PAMAM dendrimers across epithelial barriers is under investigation. 4) Inorganic nanoconstructs for controlled chemical delivery Recent advances in nanotechnology have enabled the fabrication of inorganic nanoconstructs with defined shape, size, and surface functionality. Examples of such constructs include inorganic nanotubes and nanoparticles. Our laboratory as part of a Nanoscale Interdisciplinary Research Team (NIRT) funded by the National Science Foundation is working on constructing inorganic-polymer hybrid nanoconstructs responsive to external stimuli for controlled chemical delivery.

Education History