Current Research Interests:

Immunotherapy • bone metastatic tumors • repair of bone in tumor and arthritis models • mesenchymal stem cells

Our laboratory develops strategies that can leverage the immune system to simultaneously repair bone and control inflammation or cell viability. The overall therapy goals are to (a) treat tumors and repair bone in tumor models and (b) treat and repair cartilage/bone in arthritis models. We have several ongoing projects to achieve these goals, including: 1. Targeted therapies such as C-term targeted osteo-immune cytokine IL-27, for which we use gene delivery as a tool 2. Targeting of receptors such as the laminin receptor using small molecules discovered in our laboratory 3. Understanding the biology of mesenchymal stem cells and how to utilize them as therapies.

Selected Publications:

Rivera-Cruz, C, Shearer, JJ, Figueiredo Neto, M, and Figueiredo, ML. The Immunomodulatory Effects of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Polarization Within the Tumor Microenvironment Niche. Special Issue: Environmental Stimulus on Stem Cell Behaviour. Stem Cells International. Volume 2017 (2017), Article ID 4015039, https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/4015039

Umbaugh, C, Diaz-Quiñones, A., Figueiredo Neto, M., Shearer, JJ, and Figueiredo, ML. A Dock derived compound against laminin receptor (37 LR) exhibits anti-cancer properties in a prostate cancer cell line model. Oncotarget. 2017 Dec 13;9(5):5958-5978.

Figueiredo, ML. IL-27 expression following TLR activation in bone: Sounding the alarm for repair! Journal of Leukocyte Biology. 2017 Jun;101(6):1276-1279. doi: 10.1189/jlb.3CE1016-442RR

Figueiredo Neto, M, Letteri, R., Emrick, T, and Figueiredo, ML. Sonodelivery facilitates sustained luciferase expression from an episomal vector in skeletal muscle. Materials 2015, 8(7), 4608-4617

Ellis, J, Falzon, M, Emrick, T, and Figueiredo, ML. Imaging cytokine targeting to the tumor/bone microenvironment in vivo. Human Gene Ther Clin Devel. 2014 Dec;25(4):200-1.

Parelkar, S, Letteri, R, Chan-Seng , D, Zolochevska, O, Ellis, J, Figueiredo, ML, Emrick, T. Polymerpeptide delivery platforms: effect of oligopeptide orientation on polymer-based DNA delivery. Biomacromolecules. 2014 Apr 14;15(4):1328-36.

Zolochevska, O, Shearer, J., Ellis, J, Fokina, V, Shah, F, Gimble, J, and Figueiredo, ML. Human adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cell pigment epithelium-derived factor cytotherapy modifies genetic and epigenetic profiles of prostate cancer cells. Cytotherapy. 2014 Mar;16(3):346-56.(Cover of Mar 2014 issue)

Zolochevska, O, Ellis, J. Parelkar, R, Emrick, T., Patrikeev, I, Wei, J, Motamedi, M., and Figueiredo. ML*. Interleukin-27 gene delivery for modifying malignant interactions between prostate tumor and bone. Hum Gene Ther. 2013 Dec;24(12):970-81. (Cover of Dec 2013 issue)