University of Massachusetts-Amherst · ChemistryIntracellular Delivery Innovations Unit
Sankaran Thayumanavan · Amherst, Massachusetts
Research Focus
Professor Sankaran Thayumanavan's lab at the University of Massachusetts Amherst focuses on innovative approaches to deliver protein-based therapeutics, which can target hard-to-reach areas inside cells. They are developing advanced nanostructures, such as nanogels, to help these proteins bypass cellular barriers, making them effective in treating diseases caused by specific mutations. The lab's research aims to enhance the efficacy and specificity of these therapies by exploring novel strategies for intracellular delivery and degradation of proteins.
protein deliverynanogelsantibody-based therapeuticsintracellular drug targetingprotein-polymer self-assemblyendosomal escapetargeted protein degradationbiologicscell-specific transport
Research Aims
5AIM 01Develop platforms for protein-based therapeutics targeting intracellular locations.
AIM 02Create antibody-directed antibody conjugates (ADACs) for specific cell targeting.
AIM 03Investigate endosomal escape mechanisms for enhanced therapeutic efficacy.
AIM 04Explore targeted protein degradation strategies for undruggable targets.
AIM 05Optimize protein-polymer self-assembly for better drug delivery outcomes.
Skills the Lab Values
protein purificationnanoparticle synthesiscell culturefluorescence microscopyWestern blottingimmunoassayssurface functionalizationbioconjugation techniqueshigh-throughput screening
Output against the department
Publications431top 24% of dept.51st of 216
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations17ktop 28% of dept.61st of 216
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.