The Wayne lab develops novel experimental systems to decipher the principles driving macrophage activation phenomena from the genetic to multicellular scales, including intrinsic macrophage functionality, extracellular environmental cues, and drug/gene delivery nanoformulations. The outcomes of these studies will be used to drive macrophage cell-based drug delivery and therapy prediction models.
Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering
Elizabeth Wayne’s current research focuses on drug delivery for cancer treatment, specifically the use of microphages to deliver therapeutic genes to solid tumors. Wayne has received a number of awards and recognitions as both a speaker and an advocate for the inclusion of women in STEM. In 2017, she was recognized as a TED Fellow for both her cancer nanotechnology research, and her podcast PhDivas, which works to amplify the voices of women in higher education by interviewing women who have or are pursuing doctorate degrees. Her writing and research have been featured in a number of publications, including The Los Angeles Times, Bust Magazine, and more.
Reverse engineering of clincal pathological environments to predict macrophage response to nanoformulated therapies
The inter-patient variability of drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics can be traced to differences in monocyte/macrophage (MO/MØs) activation. Studies that investigate nanoparticle-mediated MO/MØs activation often show results from experiments using 2D, plastic culture plates in the absence of vital environmental context. This leads to a limited understanding of macrophage nanoparticle processing and ultimately poor translation in vivo. My laboratory designs multicellular engineered systems that more accurately recapitulate the clinical contexts in which macrophages interact with nanoparticles. The focus is on developing adequate analysis platform that can be applied to any nanosystem.
Macrophage activation is not binary but occurs on a spectrum. Measurement of macrophage activation is often done using ex vivo techniques such as qPCR (mRNA expression), ELISA (quantitative protein measurements), western blot (qualitative & size protein measurement), and FACS analysis (intracellular & extracellular protein expression). However, these techniques while powerful, require advanced manipulation that can alter the activation of the cells. Because of this, we need adequate cellular and animal models to observe this change in activation state real-time.
Macrophages are central players in disease progression but also have a decisive role in wound healing/muscle regeneration. In this project, I would like to explore the delivery aspect of macrophage activation. Skeletal muscle is the most abundant tissue in the body and has the capacity to regenerate during normal instances of strain or injury. However, this capacity for muscle generation is lost or impaired in cases of myopathic disease (i.e. multiple sclerosis, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy), aging, cardiovascular disease, and extreme injury.
Muscle regeneration is characterized by a precise choreography of immune cells that remove of apoptotic cells and driving proliferation of new one. In particular, monocytes are recruited to the site of injury in a subpopulation specific manner. Phagocytic, pro-inflammatory (M1) macrophages appearing in early stages followed by anti-inflammatory (M2) wound healing macrophages in late stages.Changes in this cascade can impact the outcome of muscle regeneration leading to chronic inflammation and scarring.Current muscle regeneration drug delivery studies are done using intramuscular injection of ex vivo activated macrophages, intramuscular injection of cytokines that stimulate macrophage activity, and the use of implantable biomaterials to control cell recruitment and drug release. However, with these models there is still a need to regulate the spatiotemporal recruitment and activation phenotype of macrophage.
Chemical Engineering
With hundreds of research papers published each day, synthesizing all of the available information for literature reviews has become increasingly difficult. Now, professors and librarians at Carnegie Mellon University are teaming up to find and teach unique techniques to uncover pertinent information for academic studies.
Nature
ChemE’s Elizabeth Wayne co-authored an article in Nature arguing the need to consider ancestry in cell samples for medical research because ancestral differences are present in many diseases.
Chemical Engineering
Assistant Professor Elizabeth Wayne has been awarded an NIH R35 grant, otherwise known as the Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (MIRA), providing her lab with the resources needed to develop bioluminescence microscopy technology to measure macrophage polarization.
Chemical Engineering
During a high school summer camp, Dasia Aldarondo fell in love with the campus, environment, and research opportunities at Carnegie Mellon University. Today, she is a 3rd year Ph.D. student and a GEMS Fellow, developing targeted nanoparticles to terminate disease-causing genes.
CMU Engineering
Chemical Engineering’s Kishana Taylor is hosting the first Black in Microbiology week, a unique program that aims to highlight Black scientists and their contributions to the field of microbiology.
CMU Engineering
Elizabeth Wayne has received funding through the NSF RAPID program to study an often-ignored cellular factor in the mortality rate of COVID-19.
the Accelerator
The College of Engineering is pleased to announce that the College will fund three Catalyst proposals as winners of the Catalyst 2020 competition.
PBS Newshour
ChemE’s Elizabeth Wayne was featured on PBS News Hour’s Brief but Spectacular about the importance of representation and being a role model.
Chemical Engineering
Beginning in Fall 2019, Dr. Elizabeth Wayne will be joining the faculty of Carnegie Mellon University as an assistant professor of Chemical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering.
The Atlantic
On a panel at Aspen Ideas: Health, BME/ChemE’s Elizabeth Wayne pointed out that many current cancer treatments were derived from things originally intended to kill people.
Nature
ChemE’s Elizabeth Wayne was featured in a Nature Career Feature article on overcoming social and financial obstacles in science and engineering.
TED
ChemE’s Elizabeth Wayne gave a TED talk about how to hack our immune cells to fight cancer.
Doctorate
Doctorate
Want to join our team? We are looking for undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows just like you! If you have questions please send an introductory email with a description of interest and a resume/CV to Elizabeth Wayne.
Sign up for the Wayne Macrophage Therapeutics Newsletter.
Listen to Elizabeth Wayne’s podcast: PhDivas.
