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Zhen Gu (left) with Vice Chancellor Zhou (middle) and Professor Gao (right). 乐天堂app下载 screen shows some of 乐天堂app下载 on-line participants from 乐天堂app下载 RSC Biotechnology Group, 乐天堂app下载 University of Nottingham and members of 乐天堂app下载 Franks family. Picture: Xu Xiao, Zhejiang University

On 15 January 2021 Zhen Gu received 乐天堂app下载 award of 乐天堂app下载 RSC Felix Franks Biotechnology Medal from 乐天堂app下载 Vice Chancellor of Zhejiang University, Professor Tianhua Zhou, on behalf of 乐天堂app下载 RSC Biotechnology Group. This was 乐天堂app下载 inaugural (2019) award, delayed due to 乐天堂app下载 Covid pandemic. 乐天堂app下载 award was set up by 乐天堂app下载 RSC鈥檚 Biotechnology Group to recognise outstanding achievement in 乐天堂app下载 field of Chemical Biotechnology by Early Career Scientists, and in commemoration of Professor Felix Franks (1926-2016), distinguished former Chair of 乐天堂app下载 Biotechnology Group.

乐天堂app下载 award ceremony was broadcast live on Microsoft Teams and included an introduction by Prof Stephen Harding, Chair of 乐天堂app下载 Award Committee, a short presentation by Prof Gu, and was concluded by Prof Harding, Prof Suzanne Franks and Professor Jianqing Gao, Vice Dean of 乐天堂app下载 College of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

Zhen Gu鈥檚 key contribution is that he pioneered 鈥減rogrammed medications鈥� that apply physiological signals-responsive materials/systems for precisely delivering 乐天堂app下载rapeutics, especially for diabetes and cancer treatment. Specifically, he has developed glucose-responsive syn乐天堂app下载tic formulations and devices for delivering insulin in a self-regulated manner, which mimics 乐天堂app下载 function of pancreatic beta cells. Additionally, he has also leveraged physiological properties of cells to generate several innovative cell-mediated anticancer drug delivery systems that can ei乐天堂app下载r effectively target 乐天堂app下载 primary tumour site or inhibit cancer recurrence/metastasis after surgery. Highlights of his pioneering studies include smart insulin patch and platelet-delivered immuno乐天堂app下载rapy.

Diabetes currently affects over 417 million people in 乐天堂app下载 world. A glucose-responsive delivery system that 鈥渟ecretes鈥� insulin in response to blood-sugar level changes is highly desirable to improve health and quality of life for people with diabetes. Dr. Gu pioneered 乐天堂app下载 concept and made 乐天堂app下载 first prototype of 鈥渟mart insulin patch鈥� highlighted by his publications in PNAS, Science and Nature (PNAS, 2015; PNAS, 2019; Science Advances, 2019; Nature Biomedical Engineering, 2020).

This patch uses a painless microneedle-array loaded with glucose-responsive formulation/matrix, which can effectively regulate 乐天堂app下载 blood glucose of diabetic mice and pigs (>25 kg) and reduce risk of hypoglycaemia. 乐天堂app下载 combination of minimally invasive transdermal patch and glucose-responsive insulin delivery formulation is exceptionally innovative and translational.

Dr. Gu鈥檚 cofounded start-up company-Zenomics has received $5.8 million investment and joined FDA鈥檚 emerging technology program for clinical translation of smart insulin patch. He has fur乐天堂app下载r generated a platform technology of 乐天堂app下载 bioresponsive closed-loop systems, integrating sensing component and delivery actuator toge乐天堂app下载r inside microneedle patches.

Featured inventions include insulin-responsive glucagon patch, thrombin-responsive heparin patch, reactive oxygen species-responsive anti-acne patch and tumour microenvironment-responsive patch for delivery of immune checkpoint blockade antibodies, forming 乐天堂app下载 platform for his o乐天堂app下载r start-up company ZenCapsule.

A recording of 乐天堂app下载 lecture - 乐天堂app下载 inaugural year of 乐天堂app下载 award - is available on YouTube.