Alumni Spotlight: Michael Mitchell, Ph.D. 2014

Dr. Michael J. Mitchell received his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering in 2014. Under the supervision of Prof. Michael King at Cornell, he developed a therapeutic approach to target and kill circulating tumor cells in the bloodstream to prevent metastatic tumor formation. Circulating white blood cells are utilized to display the cancer-specific TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) and the E-selectin adhesion receptor. The results were reported in the Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences, and gained national and international attention from over 100 different news organizations. His doctoral research was recognized internationally through awards from the Biomedical Engineering Society, International Society of Biorheology, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and Society for Biomaterials. Currently, Michael is an NIH-National Cancer Institute Ruth L. Kirschstein Postdoctoral Fellow in the department of Chemical Engineering at the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, supervised by Prof. Robert Langer. In Langer’s lab, Michael is developing new strategies to deliver therapeutics to the bone marrow microenvironment. Specifically, he has identified polymeric nanoparticle platforms that, for the first time, enable potent gene delivery to bone marrow endothelium and hematopoietic stem cells in vivo. These platforms are currently being investigated for the prevention of breast and prostate cancer metastasis to bone, the treatment of multiple myeloma, and to increase the therapeutic efficacy of bone marrow stem cell transplantations. In addition to the Ruth L. Kirschstein Postdoctoral Fellowship, his research has been recognized with a Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering Postdoctoral Research Award from the Biomedical Engineering Society.