In an exciting breakthrough for cancer treatment, Dr. Dayag Sheykhkarimli has been awarded the prestigious 2025 NRC H.L. Holmes Award for Postdoctoral Studies. His groundbreaking research focuses on a method to deliver chemotherapy directly to cancerous cells, potentially transforming the way we approach cancer treatment.

With a generous funding package of $200,000 over two years, Dr. Sheykhkarimli will conduct his pioneering work at the University of British Columbia's School of Biomedical Engineering (SBME). Since April 2024, he has served as a postdoctoral research fellow under the guidance of Dr. Nozomu Yachie, a renowned expert in synthetic biology and a Canada Research Chair.

Dr. Sheykhkarimli's research seeks to map the specificity of proteins on the outer layers of human viruses and track their pathways throughout the body. By understanding how these proteins function, he aims to harness their natural ability to target specific tissues effectively—an endeavor that could revolutionize medical science as we know it.

To amplify the impact of his project, Dr. Sheykhkarimli has developed collaborations with an impressive roster of renowned scientists, including Dr. Daniel Schramek and Dr. Mikko Taipale from the University of Toronto, Dr. Ali Erturk from Helmholtz Munich, Dr. Etsuo Susaki (PhD, MD) from Juntendo University, and Dr. Hiroki Ueda from the University of Tokyo. Their combined expertise will be invaluable as he explores the potential of virus-inspired therapies.

Dr. Sheykhkarimli's academic credentials are equally impressive. He earned his PhD in molecular genetics under the mentorship of Dr. Frederick Roth, where he pioneered technology to map interactions among millions of protein pairs—an endeavor that included studies on viral and human proteins. He also holds a double major in molecular genetics and biotechnology from the University of Toronto and has been recognized with numerous awards, such as the Sony Research Award and a MITACS fellowship in Japan.

Targeting Drug Delivery: A New Era in Medicine

One of the most significant challenges in medical science has been delivering drugs directly to targeted tissues while avoiding damage to healthy cells. The remarkable design of viruses, which have evolved to possess natural tissue selectivity, offers a promising solution. However, up until now, comprehensive testing of each virus against various tissues was prohibitively complex and resource-intensive.

To tackle this pressing issue, Dr. Sheykhkarimli is utilizing an innovative tool known as GHOST (genetic circuit for highly scalable pseudovirus production), developed in Dr. Yachie's lab. This technology enables the production of large libraries of viral variants. By modifying GHOST to generate virus-inspired particles, each tagged with a unique genetic barcode, Dr. Sheykhkarimli can introduce these particles into mice and track their movements throughout the body via the barcodes.

The implications of this research are vast, with potential applications extending beyond chemotherapy. It could redefine how we approach RNA-based vaccine delivery, gene therapy, and other critical fields alike.

Stay tuned as Dr. Sheykhkarimli's remarkable work unfolds—this could be the turning point in how we tackle some of the most formidable health challenges of our time!