Feb 2026
The MEI Lab and the Bonkowsky Lab (pediatrics) have been awarded a seed grant titled: “Lipid Nanoparticles Gene Therapy for Zellweger Spectrum Disorders”
This award was funded through the University of Utah Research Foundation (UURF) Interdisciplinary Research Initiative.
This interdisciplinary project integrates advanced lipid nanoparticle (LNP) engineering with translational pediatric neurology to develop RNA gene therapy strategies for Zellweger spectrum disorders, a severe peroxisomal disorder with limited treatment options.
We are excited to advance this work and remain deeply committed to developing innovative delivery technologies that translate into meaningful therapeutic impact for patients in need.
Dec 2026
The MEI Lab welcomes applications from trainees supported by the NIH STARS T32 Program through the Utah Clinical and Translational Science Institute.
We are able to host T32-supported postdoctoral fellows and jointly mentor T32-supported PhD students in collaboration with an experienced, independently funded co-mentor.
Prospective postdoctoral and doctoral trainees interested in STARS T32 opportunities are encouraged to contact the lab to discuss research fit and training plans.
Aug 2025
MEI Lab is now affiliated with the Experimental Therapeutics (ET) Research Program at the Huntsman Cancer Institute, an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center.
Through this affiliation, the lab will pursue lipid nanoparticle (LNP)–enabled cancer immunotherapy, integrating delivery science with translational cancer research. Trainees in the MEI Lab will gain access to HCI shared research resources and a highly collaborative cancer research ecosystem while training at the interface of Molecular Pharmaceutics, Immuno-engineering, and Experimental Therapeutics.
Aug 2025
MEI Lab is affiliated with the Biological Chemistry (BC) track of the Bioscience PhD Program at the University of Utah and welcomes graduate student rotations and PhD trainees from the BC track.
This affiliation supports interdisciplinary doctoral training at the interface of chemical biology, nanomedicine, immuno-engineering, and experimental therapeutics, providing students with a rigorous environment for translational research and professional development.
July 2025
In July 2025, the MEI Lab transitioned from SUNY Binghamton to MEI LAB 2.0 at the University of Utah College of Pharmacy in Salt Lake City.
We are deeply grateful to the students, trainees, colleagues, and institutional partners at SUNY Binghamton who helped build MEI LAB 1.0 and shaped the scientific culture of the group. Their contributions laid the foundation for our ongoing work.
As MEI LAB 2.0 begins in Salt Lake City, we look forward to continuing rigorous, collaborative research and to training outstanding students and postdoctoral scholars while advancing impactful science in our new home.
