Dr. Randall Urban, VP and Chief Research Officer, has determined that UTMB research should be prioritized into six health communities. This researcher has received the following badge(s):

We are working to develop improved drug delivery strategies, with special emphasis on drug and nanoparticle transport across the placenta in order to address the needs of pregnant women requiring medical therapy or diagnostics, and to answer questions regarding the safety of medication during pregnancy in relation to fetal development. Maintenance of the mother's health promotes successful pregnancy outcomes, and this may require pharmacologic therapy for pregnant women with asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, HIV, or other illnesses. For a small but significant percentage of women, cancer is discovered during pregnancy, which presents a special challenge to adequately treat the cancer and simultaneously protect the baby's growth within the womb. In some instances, fetal therapy is required to treat conditions such as fetal arrhythmias or congenital adrenal hyperplasia; these cases may require drug delivery to the fetus while trying to reduce unwanted side effects in the mother.