Pamela Basto, Omid Farokhzad, Ulrich von Andrian, Robert Langer
Langer Laboratory, Koch Institute
Scanning Confocal Microscopy

"Viruses initiate an adaptive immune response to protect our bodies from re-infection. Next generation vaccine nanoparticles with controlled released adjuvants can mimic viruses to actively target dendritic cells in the lymph node to generate potent antibody and cell mediated immune response against cancer.

We are investigating whether Alexa-fluor647 labeled nanoparticles with surface conjugated DQ-OVA (BIODIPY), a protein that only fluoresces upon cleavage during antigen presentation, localize and are able to present loaded antigen in areas of the lymph node that are enriched with naive B and T cell, indicating opportunity for antigen-specific activation."