UT Tyler Awarded $441k for Nanotechnology Cancer Treatment

June 2, 2025 | Elizabeth Wingfield

The University of Texas at Tyler received a $441,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to fund a project led by Dr. Santosh Aryal, Ben and Maytee Fisch College of Pharmacy associate professor. Aryal, in collaboration with Dr. Farah Deba, Fisch College of Pharmacy assistant professor, will use the funding to develop cancer-targeting nanotechnology. Dr. Neeraj Saini from MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston will serve as a clinical consultant for this project.

“At UT Tyler, we’re committed to advancing research that can save lives,” said Dr. Pamella Ochoa, Fisch College of Pharmacy interim dean. “This NIH grant not only affirms the excellence of our faculty but also highlights our continued role in driving scientific innovation that can benefit East Texas and beyond.”

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cancer is the second leading cause of death in the nation. Approximately one in 10 of U.S. adults have received a cancer diagnosis.

Aryal and Deba’s research focuses on the possibility of using immune system cells to target cancer. Immune system cells naturally release particles to target cells that are cancerous or otherwise defective. These particles can be reengineered to administer drugs to specific areas and minimize their spread throughout the whole body, leading to improved treatment outcomes, reduced side effects and enhanced quality of life for patients.

“By combining advanced nanotechnology with immune cell biology, Drs. Aryal and Deba are paving the way for more precise and personalized cancer treatments that could transform how we approach cancer care,” said Dr. Rahmat M. Talukder, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Health Outcomes chair.

The project also offers invaluable hands-on learning opportunities for students across multiple disciplines to participate in real-time cancer research. Students will not only assist with experimental design and data collection but also gain experience in critical thinking, problem-solving and collaborative research.

“One of the most rewarding aspects of this grant is the learning experiences it creates for students,” said Aryal. “Undergraduate students in biology, engineering, nursing and chemistry, pharmacy students and post-doctoral students will all be involved in this project, contributing to the future of health care outcomes nationally and worldwide.”

To learn more, visit uttyler.edu/pharmacy.

With a mission to improve educational and health care outcomes for East Texas and beyond, UT Tyler offers more than 90 undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 10,000 students. Through its alignment with UT Tyler Health Science Center and UT Health East Texas, UT Tyler has unified these entities to serve Texas with quality education, cutting-edge research and excellent patient care. Classified by Carnegie as a doctoral research institution and by U.S. News & World Report as a national university, UT Tyler has campuses in Tyler, Longview, Palestine and Houston.