Research summary
Complex diseases like cancer and arthritis are difficult to control because they are caused by multiple, interwoven biological processes. Although some of these processes can be controlled by drugs, most are difficult to manage. We need new engineering tools to control these difficult diseases on a grander scale.
Dr. Omar Khan, Canada Research Chair in Nucleic Acid Therapeutics, is working to develop these tools. He and his research team are creating smart nanotechnology that delivers multiple instruction sets to cells through RNA. The cells follow the instructions, which are designed to control many intricate biological processes simultaneously. Ultimately, this smart nanotechnology will allow researchers to explore completely new areas of biology by offering an unprecedented level of control over diseases.