TALKS
Joy Wolfram, Ph.D | The Promise of Nanomedicine
Nanotechnology — the study and application of extremely small things — has tremendous potential to revolutionize medicine, especially the treatment of cancers and other complex diseases that don’t respond well to conventional medications. Dr. Joy Wolfram and her team are at the forefront of this research, working to develop multi-functional nanoparticle-based cancer therapies. Joy likens these nanoparticles to tiny cars that can be loaded with several different drugs, navigated through the body, and then delivered directly to diseased tissues, thereby increasing therapeutic efficacy and reducing side effects.
Dr. Joy Wolfram leads a nanomedicine research laboratory with the goal of developing innovative approaches that bring the next generation of treatments and diagnostics directly to the clinic. She has authored over 60 publications on nanoscale strategies for cancer and other life-threatening diseases. She is the director of the Nanomedicine and Extracellular Vesicles Laboratory at Mayo Clinic and holds affiliate faculty positions at the Houston Methodist Hospital and the University of North Florida.
Her mission is to inspire and support underrepresented minorities in science and she is actively involved in community outreach and scientific education. She was included in the Amgen Scholars Ten to Watch List, which highlights the best and brightest up-and-comers in science and medicine across 42 countries. She was also listed on the Forbes 30 under 30 in healthcare (United States/Canada) in 2019. Additionally, she is part of the Global Young Academy that represents 83 countries and is limited to 200 members who are selected based on scientific excellence and commitment to service.
