Sharma, Anjali

Research

The Sharma Lab “Translational Nanomedicine Research Laboratory” is excited to open its doors at WSU Chemistry in the fall of 2022. Dr. Anjali Sharma is a materials chemist specializing in functional polymeric nanomaterials for target-specific drug/gene delivery applications. Dr. Sharma has a Ph.D. from McGill University where she got trained in designing facile and convenient synthetic methodologies for developing multitasking nanomaterials for a wide range of biological applications. Her postdoctoral training at the Center for Nanomedicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine was focused on developing translational dendrimer nanotherapeutics for the treatment of central nervous system and ocular disorders.

At WSU Chemistry, The Sharma Lab will be developing rationally-designed, smart, clinically translatable novel nanotechnologies for target-specific drug/gene delivery and imaging applications to help diagnose and treat unmet medical problems. Despite continuous advancements in the field of nanomaterials for medical use, their clinical utility has been limited. This slow commercialization/clinical success of nano-therapies can be traced back to the shortcomings in several key chemistry and engineering criteria associated with their complex design and complicated synthesis process resulting in batch-to-batch inconsistencies in their physiochemical and pharmacological properties. The primary objective of the research in the Sharma Lab is to incorporate the important synthetic elements for clinical translation during the material design itself, to fabricate clinically-translatable nanomaterials that are biocompatible, reproducible, scalable, stable, and inexpensive.

The Sharma Lab Environment

Translational Nanomedicine Research Laboratory is a multi-disciplinary research group where students and trainees will be working at the interface of chemistry, nanotechnology/engineering, and biology to develop next-generation nano-therapies targeted to specific intracellular and subcellular locations. There will be tremendous opportunities to interact and work with cross-functional teams at WSU and other institutions. The students/trainees will learn cutting-edge polymer/dendrimer chemistry techniques to design, synthesize, and engineer materials at a nanoscale level for medical applications. Additionally, they will also get the opportunity to learn in vitro (Cell) studies and animal tissue extraction for nanoparticle quantification. A lot of emphasis will be put on learning regulatory requirements and the commercialization process for the translation of chemistry laboratory discoveries into real-life medical applications.

The Sharma Lab is built on an environment of equity and inclusion where everyone is welcomed and supported!

Recent Selected Publications

(*Co-first author; ^$Co-corresponding author)

1. Hollinger, KR.*; Sharma, A.*; Tallon, C.; Lovell, L.; Thomas, AG.; Zhu, X.; Wiseman, R.; Wu, Y.; Kambhampati, SP.; Liaw, K.; Sharma, R.; Rojas, C.; Rais, R.; Kannan, S.; Kannan, RM.; Slusher, BS. Dendrimer-2PMPA selectively blocks upregulated microglial GCPII activity and improves cognition in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis. Nanotheranostics 2022, 6(2):126-142. doi:10.7150/ntno.63158.
2. Tallon, C.; Sharma, A.; Zhang, Z.; Thomas, G.; Donoghue, A.; Schulte, M.; Rojas, C.; Kambhampati, S.; Sharma, R.; Liaw, K.; Kannan, S.; Kannan, RM and Slusher, BS. Dendrimer-conjugated 2PMPA targets activated macrophages in muscle and improves function and innervation in the SOD1G93A mouse model of ALS. Neurotherapeutics, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13311-021-01159-7
3. Sharma, A.; Sah, N.; Kannan, S.; and Kannan, RM. Targeted Drug Delivery for Maternal and Perinatal Health: Challenges and Opportunities. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews 2021, 177, 113950.
4. Sharma, R.; Porterfield, J.E.; An, H.; Jimenez, A. S.; Lee, S.; Kannan, S.; Sharma, A.^$; and Kannan, RM^$. Rationally Designed Galactose Dendrimer for Hepatocyte-Specific Targeting and Intracellular Drug Delivery for the Treatment of Liver Disorders. Biomacromolecules 2021, 22(8), 3574-3589.
5. Sharma, R., Liaw, K. Sharma, A.; Jimenez, A.; Chang, M.; Salazar, S.; Amlani, I.; Kannan, S.; and Kannan, RM. Glycosylation of PAMAM dendrimers significantly improves tumor macrophage targeting and specificity in glioblastoma. Journal of Controlled Release 2021, 337, 179-192.
6. DeRidder, L.; Sharma, A.; Liaw, K.; Sharma, R.; John, J.; Kannan, S.; and Kannan, RM. Dendrimer-Tesaglitazar conjugate induces a phenotype shift of microglia and enhances β-amyloid phagocytosis. Nanoscale, 2021, 13(2), 939-952.
7. Sharma, A.*; Sharma, R.*; Zhang, Z.; Liaw, K.; Kambhampati, SP.; Porterfield, JE.; Lin, KC.; DeRidder, LB.; Kannan, S.; and Kannan, RM. Dense hydroxyl polyethylene glycol dendrimer targets activated glia in multiple CNS disorders. Science Advances 2020, 6(4), eaay8514.
8. Sharma, A.*; Liaw, K.*; Sharma, R.; Spriggs, S.; Appiani La Rosa, S.; Kannan, S.; and Kannan, RM. Dendrimer-mediated targeted delivery of rapamycin to tumor-associated macrophages improves systemic treatment of glioblastoma. Biomacromolecules, 2020, 21(12), 5148-5161.
9. Khoury, ES.; Sharma, A.; Reddy, R.; Thomas, AG.; Liaw, K.; Rais, R.; Blue, ME.; Slusher, BS.; Kannan, S.; Kannan, RM. Dendrimer-mediated glutaminase inhibition effectively targets microglial glutaminase in a mouse model of Rett syndrome. Theranostics 2020 10(13):5736-5748.
10. Sharma, A.*; Liaw, K.*; Sharma, R.; Zhang, Z.; Kannan, S.; and Kannan, RM. Targeting Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Oxidative Stress in Activated Microglia Using Dendrimer-Based Therapeutics. Theranostics 2018, 8 (20), 5529-5547.
11. Sharma, A.*; Porterfield, J.*; Smith, E.; Sharma, R; Kannan, S.; and Kannan, RM. Effect of mannose targeting of hydroxyl PAMAM dendrimers on cellular and organ biodistribution in a neonatal brain injury model. Journal of Controlled Release 2018, 283, 175-189.
12. Sharma, R.; Sharma, A.; Kambhampati, S.; Reddy R. R.; Zhang, Z.; Cleland J. L.; Kannan, S.; and Kannan, RM. Scalable Synthesis and Validation of PAMAM Dendrimer‐N‐acetyl cysteine Conjugate for Potential Translation. Bioengineering and Translational Medicine 2018, 3(2): 87–101.

The complete list of publications can be found here: https://scholar.google.ca/citations?hl=en&user=KMAMHDQAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate