Welcome!

The Hoo (Hu) Research Group at the Ohio State University College of Pharmacy focuses on designing non-viral gene therapies for serious diseases like cancer, inflammatory diseases, and genetic disorders, grounded in the biological understanding of extracellular vesicle (EV)-mediated intercellular communication.

We employ interdisciplinary approaches, including nano-drug delivery, materials chemistry, cellular & molecular biology, immunology, protein/nucleic acids engineering, bioinformatics, and animal models, to ultimately translate our discoveries and inventions into life-transforming medicines and diagnostic tools.

Join Us !

Lipid Nanoparticle Platform

Core-shell LNPs tolerate higher surface PEGylation, offering greater flexibility for optimizing targeting efficiency and pharmacokinetic profiles.

Biogenesis of EV_DNA, the least studied EV cargo, is linked to immune developmental pathways. Our research identified exceptionally high EV_DNA secretion from activated T cells, contributing to the unique immune-boosting effects of their derived EVs.

We strive to develop translational medicine and diagnostic/prognostic tools by integrating LNP-based gene delivery, iEVs and EV engineering, and novel target discovery from multi-omics data derived from patient samples and animal models.

Jan 2026 Han and Jocelyn start their rotation in Hoo Lab. Welcome!
Dec 2025 Dr. Hu received the 2025 METAvivor Early Career Investigator Award! Congratulations!
Dec 2025 Xuehao and Yige presented their ongoing work on biohybrid lipid nanoparticles at the P&P Divisional Retreat. Great job!
Sep 2025 Dr. Hu was selected as an NCATS K12 Scholar to advance her pioneering work leveraging circulating EV-DNA as a prognostic biomarker for cancer patients. Congratulations!
Aug 2025 Our lab has been awarded Pilot Grant Award from the OSU Center for Medical and Engineering Innovation
June 2025 Our lab has been awarded Ohio Cancer Research Grant from Kimball Midwest/The McCurdy Family!

Representative Publications

Mengying H., Ying W., Zhengsheng L., Zhuo Y., Kaiyun G., Mengrui L., Menglin W., Jun T., Leaf H., Hepatic macrophages act as a central hub for relaxin-mediated alleviation of liver fibrosis. Nature Nanotechnology (2021). Link

Mengying H., Leaf H., Strategies targeting tumor immune and stromal microenvironment and their clinical relevance. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews (2022). Link

Ying W., Sirui L., Mengying H., Yuchen Y., Ellie M., Lillian Z., Andrew M. W., Jenny P.-Y. T., Rihe L., Universal STING mimic boosts antitumour immunity via preferential activation of tumour control signalling pathways. Nature Nanotechnology (2024). Link

Mengying H., Xuefei Z., Ying W., Kaiyun G., Leaf H., Relaxin-FOLFOX-IL-12 triple combination therapy engages memory response and achieves long-term survival in colorectal cancer liver metastasis. Journal of Controlled Release (2020). Link

Mengying H., Ying W., Ligeng X., Sai A., Yu T., Xuefei Z., Jingjing L., Rihe L., Leaf H., Relaxin gene delivery mitigates liver metastasis and synergizes with check point therapy. Nature Communications (2019). Link