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The Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering presents its spring 2026 seminar series featuring guest speaker Marcella Vaicik, assistant professor of biomedical engineering at Illinois Tech and faculty director of Fulton Labs. Vaicik will give presentation on “Rethinking Scale in Polymerization: Miniemulsion Strategies for Adipocyte Gene Therapy” on Wednesday, February 25, from 3:15–4:30 p.m. in room 131 of Perlstein Hall.

Abstract

Adipose tissue (body fat) is a metabolically active endocrine organ composed primarily of adipocytes (fat cells) within an extracellular matrix that regulates cellular signaling and metabolic function. Genetic modulation of adipocytes represents a promising strategy for treating obesity, yet mature fat cells are highly resistant to conventional transfection, requiring delivery systems engineered for intracellular persistence and controlled release. We present a small-scale (10–20 mL) inverse phase miniemulsion polymerization strategy that reduces material use by more than 90 percent while preserving particle size ( less than 200 nm), network structure, and functional performance. Process optimization produced stable hydrogel nanoparticles with controlled mesh architecture comparable to traditional bench-scale synthesis. Scale-down did not compromise long-term stability (more than three years) or cytocompatibility, with cell viability remaining well above the ISO 10993-5 non-cytotoxicity threshold (greater than or equal to 70 percent). In differentiated adipocytes, particles were rapidly internalized and sustained intracellular cargo release for eight days. By treating scale-down as a deliberate process engineering strategy, this work accelerates systematic optimization of siRNA delivery systems targeting adipocytes within adipose tissue. 

Biography

Marcella Vaicik is an assistant professor of biomedical engineering at Illinois Tech. Her research focuses on extracellular matrix–directed therapeutics and biomaterial platforms for gene modulation in adipose tissue. She earned her Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from Illinois Tech and completed postdoctoral training at the Hines VA Hospital. She also holds degrees in bioengineering and chemical engineering and previously worked in the chemical industry before returning to academia. Lab website: .