Dr. Yunru Yu, from the research group of InFLAMES group leader Hongbo Zhang at Åbo Akademi University, has been awarded four-year Academy Research Fellow funding for development of grooved microtubes with genetic patterning for directional nerve cell alignment and inflammation control.

During the fellowship Dr. Yu aims to establish both a streamlined technique for fabricating microtubes and an in vitro model to study the nerve repair process based on these microtubes. The project combines synthesis of nucleic acid-loaded nanoparticles with microtube fabrication, presenting a brand-new way for loading and delivering nucleic acid drugs. The goals of the fellowship are to develop innovative solutions for nerve repair, provide an opportunity for preclinical assessment of gene therapy, and to promote clinical translation of laboratory-developed biomaterials.

The Research Council of Finland’s Academy Research Fellowship funding is intended for early-career researchers on a fast career track who have formed international networks and are conducting scientifically high-quality and high-impact research that contributes to scientific renewal.