Ursolic Acid (UA) is a natural product found to have anti-cancer properties, specifically in breast cancer
The problem? It is typically produced via fruit extraction, a timely and environmentally taxing process
To combat these issues, a biosynthetic production of UA was developed using gene knock-out and triple homologous recombination.
We designed a bioreactor and biosensor in conjunction, to mass produce Ursolic Acid with live tracking
Post-purification, the Ursolic Acid can be encapsulated utilizing a high specificity encapsulation method composed of beta-cyclodextrin and sEV-liposomes fusion.
With optimization being the goal, we took network-level and enzymatic-level models to target our design approach
With the prominence of UA rising in oncology, the ability to supply pharmaceutical companies with a better production method is crucial to getting UA to cancer patients
We created books and produced an interactive game, to educate the public on the medicinal power of Ursolic Acid and synbio
We also interviewed stakeholders, cancer patients, and professionals to incorporate their feedback into Oncurex