Ainslie Lab

02/13/2026

I’m excited to share that our project, “Engineering B Cell–Targeted Microparticles to Induce Regulatory Immunity in Type 1 Diabetes,” has been recommended for funding by Breakthrough T1D!

This work focuses on engineering B cell–targeted microparticle platforms to promote regulatory immunity in Type 1 Diabetes.

I’m especially grateful to my outstanding collaborator Roland Tisch, whose expertise in diabetes and immunology has been instrumental in shaping this project.

I also want to recognize the incredible work of my lab - this recognition reflects their creativity, persistence, and commitment to finding better treatment options for individuals living with autoimmune diseases.

Thank you to Breakthrough T1D for supporting innovative approaches aimed at improving outcomes for individuals living with T1D.

02/13/2026

02/07/2026

01/29/2026

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01/21/2026

01/15/2026

Dark chocolate mocha cupcakes for a post docs birthday. Coffee flavored chocolate cake with dark chocolate filling topped with coffee frosting and a chocolate covered espresso bean.

01/14/2026

One of Eric's presents from the holiday gift exchange

01/12/2026

Dueling electorsprays

01/09/2026

I recently had the opportunity to speak with our School of Pharmacy about how I use AI in my work as a professor.

The content is mine, and heavy editing and reference checks occur, but AI gets the work done faster and with fewer errors.

Rather than replacing expertise, I use AI as a practical tool for clarity, organization, and efficiency. I use it especially for writing letters of recommendation, structuring NIH grants, and refining scientific communication - taking my words and writing and organizing them better.

I wrote a short Substack post sharing real examples of what works, what doesn’t, and where I draw the line when using AI in academia.

https://go.unc.edu/AISubSt

01/06/2026

Wrapping up the year by celebrating the Top 10 Ainslie Lab papers (by citations + social buzz).

Proud of this team and grateful for our collaborators. Here’s to another year of impactful immunoengineering!

10. Clark et al. Antigen-Specific Inverse Vaccination Strategies Using Particle Systems for MS. ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsbiomaterials.5c01072

9. Pena et al. Optimizing delivery in a multivalent subunit influenza vaccine using mixed polymeric microparticle degradation rates. Journal of Controlled Release. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconrel.2025.113936

8. Graham-Gurysh et al. Post-resection delivery of a TLR7/8 agonist from a biodegradable scaffold achieves immune-mediated glioblastoma clearance and protection against tumor challenge in mice. Nat Comm. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-63692-9

7. Woodring et al. Biodegradable nanofibrous scaffolds enhance standard of care for glioblastoma via localized targeted therapy. Journal of Controlled Release. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12459348/

6. Williamson et al. Acetalated dextran: a novel delivery platform for particle-based vaccines. Expert Opinion on Drug Delivery. https://doi.org/10.1080/17425247.2024.2442671

5. Ontiveros-Padilla et al. Broadly active intranasal influenza vaccine with a nanocomplex particulate adjuvant targeting mast cells and toll-like receptor 9. Journal of Controlled Release. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconrel.2025.113855

4. Murphy et al. Mast cell activators as adjuvants for intranasal mucosal vaccines. International Journal of Pharmaceutics https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12577933/

3. Stiepel et al. Induction of Antigen-Specific Tolerance in a MS Model without Broad Immunosuppression. ACS Nano. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.4c14698

2. Woodring et al. Supervised machine learning for predicting drug release from acetalated dextran nanofibers. Biomaterial Science. https://doi.org/10.1039/D5BM00259A

1. Barbery et al. Biodegradable Polymers for Application as Robust Immunomodulatory Biomaterial Carrier Systems. Small. https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202409422

01/06/2026

Especially now, most programs interview many strong applicants and admit only a few. How you present your research, ask questions, and evaluate advisor fit matters more than most students realize.

Yes, they’re evaluating you, but you should also be evaluating them. Advisor fit matters, and a bad mentor can make even a great project miserable.

Graduate school is a job. Interview like you want to be hired and make sure you’re choosing wisely!

https://go.unc.edu/STEMGradInterviews

01/06/2026

Excited to share our new preprint on BioRxiv: “Novel compounds derived from AR-12 that demonstrate host-directed clearance of intracellular Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium.”

Our work highlights a host-directed approach that disrupts the cellular pathways Salmonella exploits, offering a promising strategy to combat intracellular and drug-resistant infections.

If you’re interested in host-directed therapies, antibiotic resistance, or novel therapeutic strategies, check out the preprint on BioRxiv (https://go.unc.edu/Salmonella2025Preprint) or Substack (https://go.unc.edu/Salmonella2025PreprintSubSt)