Complex biological fluids & interfaces, nanoparticle drug delivery, viral gene delivery, respiratory infection, lung diseases

Our research is focused on using nanotechnology and bioengineering as tools to broaden understanding of the lung airway microenvironment in order to develop state-of-the-art therapeutic approaches. These efforts are built on our group’s expertise in designing novel measurement schemes and bioengineered models, capable of shedding new light on previously unstudied aspects of the lung airways. The nature of this work requires an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach where we work closely with basic and clinical scientists in order to successfully work towards our research goals. Specific areas of interest in our laboratory include:

• Lung airway mucus clearance in health & disease
• Host-pathogen interactions in respiratory infections (e.g. influenza)
• Engineering mucin biomaterials for biology & medicine
• Overcoming biological barriers to drug & gene delivery

BIOE331 - Biofluids

BIOE489K - Pulmonary Engineering

BIOE689R - Biopolymers

Recent articles:

• Yeruva T, Morris III RJ, Kumar S, Zhao L, Kofinas P, Duncan GA. “Rapid in situ forming PEG hydrogels for mucosal drug delivery”. Biomaterials Science. 13, 4390-4399​, 2025. 
• Cahn D, Stern A,  Buckenmeyer MJ, Wolf M, Duncan GA. “The Extracellular Matrix Limits Nanoparticle Diffusion and Cellular Uptake in a Tissue-Specific Manner”. ACS Nano. 18 (46), 32045-55, 2024.
• Boboltz A, Yang S, Duncan GA. “Engineering in vitro models of cystic fibrosis lung disease using neutrophil extracellular trap inspired biomaterials”. Journal of Materials Chemistry B. 11, 9419-9430, 2023.
• Song D, Iverson E, Kaler L, Boboltz A, Scull MA, Duncan GA. “MUC5B mobilizes and MUC5AC spatially aligns mucociliary transport on human airway epithelium”. Science Advances​. 8, eabq504, 2022.

Full listing of publications available on Google Scholar.