Jill M. Steinbach-Rankins, Ph.D.

Education:Jill M. Steinbach-Rankins, Ph.D.

B.S. Materials Science Engineering, University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, IL; 1997
M.S.E. Materials Science Engineering, Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ; 2001
Ph.D., Bioengineering, Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ; 2009                          
Postdoctoral Fellowship, Department of Bioengineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT; 2013

Industry Experience:

Engineer, Motorola Computer Group & Semiconductor Product Sector, Tempe, AZ; 2001

Curriculum Vitae

Current Positions:

Assistant Professor, Bioengineering
Associate appointment in Pharmacology & Toxicology
Associate appointment in Microbiology & Immunology
Member of Center for Predictive Medicine

Contact Information:

Clinical Translational Research Building, Room 623
University of Louisville
505 Hancock St.
Louisville, KY 40202, USA
Phone 502-852-5486
Fax 502-852-5468
Email: jmstei01@louisville.edu

Research Description:

The Steinbach-Rankins Laboratory is interested in integrating the delivery of biologics and antivirals against sexually transmitted viral and bacterial infections, reproductive and ocular cancers, and oral bacterial biofilms. At the core of the translational success for these applications, are questions of how to rationally design vehicles targeted to the unique microenvironments where tumors and viral/bacterial infections occur. Moreover, addressing practical questions of delivery that consider the user needs, is particularly important from a design and development perspective. Our goal is to develop and integrate the needs of next-generation prophylactic and therapeutic delivery approaches, to provide and understand multipurpose prevention in challenging environments in specific research initiatives elaborated upon here.

One of our goals is to investigate how nanoparticle modification impacts the transport and efficacy of chemotherapeutics and oligonucleotides in the reproductive and ocular tumor microenvironments. To address these needs, we have focused on obtaining a better understanding of how different, often diametrically opposed, surface ligand modifications impact transport and therapeutic efficacy within a specific tumor or tissue type, in cell monolayers and 3D spheroids. In separate work, we have collaborated with Dr. Hermann Frieboes and Dr. Aparna Ramasubranian to advance our research in reproductive and ocular cancer studies, respectively. 

We also seek to establish alternative dosage forms, particularly those that incorporate biologics, for safe and efficacious topical delivery against viral infections in the female reproductive tract (FRT).  We have demonstrated the ability to develop fiber scaffolds that deliver antiviral drugs to decrease herpes virus 2 (HSV-2) infection. In collaboration with Drs. Kenneth Palmer and Nobuyuki Matoba we tested the design of EFs that were surface-modified with the antiviral lectin, Griffithsin (GRFT), to bind to and inactivate HIV-1 inoculum at entry. In parallel, we developed pH-responsive polymeric fibers to release GRFT only upon exposure to pH conditions within the range representing semen infiltration into the FRT. We have additionally expanded on this work to fabricate “on demand” rapid-release fibers, and conversely, composite delivery platforms that prolong the release of GRFT over the course of one-two months.

In addition to these research interests, we have also created more specifically and biologically targeted delivery platforms to inhibit and disrupt oral biofilm formation. In collaboration with Dr. Donald Demuth, we have developed new NP vehicles that deliver high localized concentrations of peptide for prolonged duration to sites in the oral cavity. The potency of these modified NPs has been demonstrated in in vitro biofilm models and an in vivo animal model of periodontitis. In addition, we have synthesized NPs and EF blends that encapsulate the peptide to release an inhibitory concentration of the peptide over time frames relevant to oral application. Most recently, we have sought to combine knowledge from our oral biofilm collaboration, with our expertise in FRT viral infections, to establish a new platform to treat bacterial vaginosis (BV) infection. The goal of this project is to create a probiotic-focused platform to inhibit bacterial FRT infections, while obtaining a better understanding of the host-microbiome-therapeutic interactions.

Representative Publications:

  1. Sims LB, Miller HA, Halwes ME, Steinbach-Rankins JM§, Frieboes HB§.  Modeling of nanoparticle transport through the cervicovaginal mucosa for the treatment of infectious           diseases.  Revisions submitted August 2018.
  2. Mahmoud MA, Demuth DR§, Steinbach-Rankins JM§.  BAR-Encapsulated nanoparticles for the inhibition and disruption of Porphyromonas gingivalis-Streptococcus gordonii biofilms. Revisions submitted July 2018.
  3. Tyo KM*, Duan J*, Kollipara P, Palmer KE, Steinbach-Rankins JM.  pH-Responsive delivery of Griffithsin from electrospun fibers.  Eur J Pharmaceutics Biopharmaceutics [Epub ahead of print]  doi: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2018.04.013.  PMID: 29698714.
  4. Martin DT, Shen H, Steinbach-Rankins JM, Johnson KK, Saltzman WM, Weiss RM.  Glycoprotein-130 expression is associated with aggressive bladder cancer and is a potential therapeutic target.  Molecular Cancer TherapeuticsRevisions submitted 2018.
  5. Sims LB, Frieboes HB, Steinbach-Rankins JM.  Nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery to treat infections in the female reproductive tract: Evaluation of experimental systems and the potential for mathematical modeling.  International Journal of Nanomedicine 2018 May 3;13:2709-27.  doi: 10.2147/IJN.S160044.  eCollection 2018.  Review.  PMID: 27960551.  PMCID:  PMC5937491.
  6. Halwes ME, Tyo KM, Steinbach-Rankins JM§, Frieboes HB§.  Computational modeling of PLGA fiber degradation and resultant multicompartment Tenofovir pharmacokinetics in the female reproductive tract.  Molecular Pharmaceutics 2018 Apr 2;15(4):1534-47.  doi: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.7b01089.  Epub 2018 Feb 26.  PMID: 29481088. 
  7. Sims LB, Huss MK, Frieboes HB§, Steinbach-Rankins JM§.  Distribution of PLGA-modified nanoparticles in 3D cell culture models of hypo-vascularized tumors.  Journal of Nanobiotechnology 2017 Oct 5;15(1):67.  doi: 10.1186/s12951-017-0298-x.  PMID: 28982361.  PMCID:  PMC5629750.
  8. Tyo KM, Vuong HR, Malik DA, Sims LB, Alatassi H, Duan J, Watson WH, Steinbach-Rankins JM.  Multipurpose tenofovir disoproxil fumarate electrospun fibers for the prevention of HIV-1 and HSV-2 infections.  Int J of Pharmaceutics 2017 Oct 5;531(1):118-133.  doi: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2017.08.061.  Epub 2017 Aug 7.  PMID: 28797967.
  9. Vuong HR*, Tyo KM*, Steinbach-RankinsJM.  Fabrication and characterization of Griffithsin-modified fiber scaffolds for STI prevention.  Journal of Visual Experiments 2017 Oct 31;(128):e56492.  doi:10.3791/56492.  PMID: 29481088.
  10. Kalia P, Jain A, Krishnan RR, Demuth DR, Steinbach-Rankins JM.  Peptide modified nanoparticles inhibit Porphyromonas gingivalis adherence to Streptococcus gordonii.  Int J Nanomedicine 2017 Jun 22;12:4553-4562.  doi: 10.2147/IJN.S139178.  eCollection 2017.  PMID: 28790818.
  11. Aniagyei SE, Sims LB, Malik DA, Tyo KM, Curry KC, Kim W, Hodge DA, Duan J, Steinbach-Rankins JM.  Evaluation of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) and poly(DL-lactide-co-e-caprolactone) electrospun fibers for the treatment of HSV-2 infection.  Materials Science and EngineeringC, 2017 Mar 1;1(72C):238-51.  doi: 10.1016/j.msec.2016.11.029.  Epub 2016 Nov 10.  PMID: 28024582
  12. Halwes M, Steinbach-Rankins JM§, Frieboes HB§.  Pharmacokinetic modeling of a gel-delivered dapivirine microbicide in humans.  European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 2016 Oct 10;93:410-418.  doi: 10.1016/j.ejps.2016.08.037.  Epub 2016 Aug 21.  PMID: 27559026.
  13. Grooms TM, Vuong HR, Tyo KM, Malik DA, Sims LB, Palmer KE, Matoba N, Steinbach-Rankins JM.  Griffithsin-modified electrospun fibers as a delivery scaffold to prevent HIV infection.  Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 2016 Oct 21;60(11): 6518-31.  doi: 10.1128/AAC.00956-16.  doi: 10.1128/AAC.00956-16.  PMID: 2550363.  PMCID: PMC5075055.
  14. Neves LF, Duan J, Voelker A, Khanal A, McNally LR, Steinbach-Rankins JM,Ceresa BP.  Preparation and optimization of anionic liposomes for delivery of small peptides and cDNA to human corneal epithelial cells.  Journal of Microencapsulation 2016 ;33(4):391-9.  doi: 10.1080/02652048.2016.1202343.  Epub 2016 Aug 10.  PMID: 27530524.  PMCID:  PMC5033054.
  15. Sims LB, Curtis LT, Frieboes HB§, Steinbach-Rankins JM§.  Enhanced uptake and transport of PLGA-modified nanoparticles in cervical cancer.  Journal of Nanobiotechnology 2016 Apr 22;14(33).  doi: 10.1186/s12951-016-0185-x. PMID: 27102372.
  16. Steinbach JM.  Protein and oligonucleotide delivery systems for vaginal microbicides against viral STIs.  Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences 2015 Feb;72(3):469-503, doi: 10.1007/s00018-014-1756-3.  Epub 2014 Oct 17.  Review.  PMID: 25323132.
  17. Steinbach JM, Seo YE, Saltzman WM.  Cell penetrating peptide-modified poly(lactic pro-glycolic acid) nanoparticles with enhanced cell internalization.  Acta Biomaterialia 2016 Jan;30:49-61.  doi: 10.1016/j.actbio.2015.11.029.  Epub 2015 Nov 18.  PMID: 26602822.  PMCID:  PMC4695306.
  18. Martin DT, Steinbach JM, Liu J, Shimizu S, Kaimakliotis HZ, Wheeler MA, Hittelman AB, Saltzman WM, Weiss RM.  Surface modified nanoparticles enhance transurothelial penetration and delivery of survivin siRNA in treating bladder cancer.  Molecular Cancer Therapeutics 2014 Jan;13(1):71-81.  doi: 10.1158/1535-7163.MCT-13-0502.  Epub 2013 Nov 12.  PMID:  24222663.
  19. Steinbach JM, Weller CE, Booth CJ, Saltzman WM.  Polymer nanoparticles encapsulating siRNA for treatment of HSV-2 genital infection.  Journal of Controlled Release 2012 August 20;162(1):102-110.  doi: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2012.06.008. Epub 2012 Jun 15.  PMIF: 2270546l.  PMCID:  PMC3543782.
  20. Stukel JM, Li R, Maynard H, Caplan MR.  Two-step synthesis of multivalent cancer targeting constructs.  Biomacromolecules 2010 Jan 11;11(1): 160-7.  doi: 10.1021/bm9010276.  PMID: 19924844.

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