MADE in SC | SC EPSCoR

Dr. Angela Alexander-Bryant, an assistant professor in Bioengineering at Clemson University, is a new hire in Thrust 3 of MADE in SC. Her research focuses on the development of novel self-assembled biomaterials for cancer cell detection and delivery of therapeutics, including chemotherapy and nucleic acid-based therapies, to improve targeted treatment of aggressive and/or drug-resistant cancers. Dr. Alexander-Bryant’s Nanobiotechnology Laboratory has recently developed interactive peptide hydrogels for local delivery of chemotherapeutics to treat glioblastoma. Students in her lab are also developing pH-responsive lipid/polymer and peptide nanoparticles that release drugs or nucleic acids after endocytosis within the acidic environment of the endosome to improve endosomal escape and enhance release of bioactive drugs. Dr. Alexander-Bryant is also designing delivery systems for gene editing tools to treat neural dysfunctions in collaboration with Drs. Jessica (Kelly) Larsen and Mark Blenner at Clemson University. By leveraging materials science, nanotechnology, gene therapy, and drug delivery, Dr. Alexander-Bryant aims to provide novel, clinically translatable therapeutic delivery strategies to improve targeted treatment of disease.

Dr. Alexander-Bryant was also appointed Director of Diversity and Inclusion in the Bioengineering Department beginning January 2018. Within this role, she aims to increase recruitment and retention of students from underrepresented groups to contribute to a more diverse student body, as well as foster an environment that is inclusive, promoting collegiality and engagement of students across all backgrounds in her department. She was recently awarded funding through the SC EPSCoR Scientific Advocate Network Program for her proposal entitled “Targeted Recruitment of Underrepresented Minority Graduate Students in Bioengineering.”