Santanu Bhattacharya, Ph.D.

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SUMMARY

Santanu Bhattacharya, Ph.D., is dedicated to reprogramming the tumor microenvironment in pancreatic cancer to overcome resistance to chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy. To achieve this, Dr. Bhattacharya uses nanoparticles and extracellular vehicles as tools to manipulate the areas around tumors that are measured at the cellular level. Such an area is called the tumor microenvironment. In particular, he is focused on tumor microenvironments that are involved in the formation and development of fibrous tissue — that is, microenvironments that are desmoplastic.

Dr. Bhattacharya's goal is to enhance the benefits of the following therapies, whether used individually or in combination:

• Chemotherapy.
• Radiotherapy.
• Immunotherapy.
• Tumor-treating field interventions.

Focus areas

• Nanomaterials in cancer treatment. Dr. Bhattacharya's research explores the potential of tumor-specific targeted drug delivery to address the challenges associated with traditional chemotherapy and improve outcomes after treatment. To achieve this, he is engineering new, unique substances called nanomaterials that are compatible with the human body. These are tiny amounts of substance, so small that at least one side measures 1.0 to 100.0 nanometers across.

  Dr. Bhattacharya designs these nanomaterials to be joined together with small molecules, tumor-targeting agents and chemotherapy drugs. This approach will allow healthcare professionals to deliver effective amounts of chemotherapy to patients with extreme precision and minimal toxicity to the body. With this ultraprecise delivery, the chemotherapy can be used to reprogram the immunosuppressive and desmoplastic microenvironments of pancreatic tumors and other types of cancer.

  Dr. Bhattacharya designs these nanoparticles to carry out multiple types of activities, including making the tumor microenvironment more sensitive to chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiotherapy, thus improving how well these treatments work.

• Nanomaterials in biophysics. Using an atomic force microscope, which allows imaging of live cells with high resolution, Dr. Bhattacharya has developed a range of techniques that use the principals and technique of physics to study biological processes. These methods help researchers study cell aging, cell cycle dynamics and the processes by which cells bring material from their surroundings in through the cell membrane.

  By examining the mechanical signatures of cell membranes that are only measurable in nanometers, Dr. Bhattacharya has successfully identified dynamic changes. These nanomechanical changes are closely tied to the intricate biology of cells, providing valuable insights into cellular behavior and function.

• Predicting patients' responses to cancer treatment. Each patient's tumor and tumor microenvironment are unique, which makes choosing the right treatment extremely challenging. Dr. Bhattacharya is developing new and unique ways to use artificial intelligence, combining transcriptomic signatures and the nanomechanical properties of cancer tissues. This can help healthcare professionals choose the best chemotherapy or immunotherapy for each patient. Dr. Bhattacharya is developing a model that can use tissue samples to evaluate each patient's response to different treatments in the lab before treating the actual patient. This will help determine which treatments are most effective — perhaps even lifesaving.

• Extracellular vesicles. Extracellular vesicles carry molecular signatures specific to the types of cells they come from. They have emerged as promising biomarkers for various diseases and conditions, including cancer. Furthermore, these vesicles have demonstrated great potential to deliver treatments, either through genetic engineering or ex vivo manipulation with chemotherapeutic agents.

  Dr. Bhattacharya is exploring new and unique ways to analyze and characterize extracellular vesicles from diverse sources, such as from mesenchymal stem cells, cancer cells and tumor-associated macrophages. He aims to uncover valuable insights into the development and characterization of these vesicles and make them more useful tools for diagnosing and treating patients.

Significance to patient care

Through his research, Dr. Bhattacharya aims to advance patient care by:

• Improving patient outcomes after treatment.
• Minimizing harmful side effects of treatments.
• Enhancing patients' responses to treatment.
• Advancing how healthcare professionals diagnose and treat patients.

His work has the potential to revolutionize the field of cancer treatment and contribute to better patient outcomes, ultimately improving the quality of care that healthcare professionals can provide to people with pancreatic cancer or other types of cancer.