Dr Richard Lobb

CSIRO Synthetic Biology Fellow

Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology

Overview

I lead the extracellular vesicle (EV) diagnostic and therapeutic research theme within the Centre for Personalised Nanomedicine at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN). My expertise spans EV biology, hypoxia research, cancer metastasis, and cancer immunology. At the AIBN, my research program focuses on developing innovative approaches to engineer therapeutic EVs and develop cutting-edge technologies to profile circulating EVs in the bloodstream. I have made significant conceptual contributions in the field through new analytical techniques and optimal isolation methodologies for EVs. This has been fundamental to the field and has contributed to overcoming the limitations of existing purification protocols that have hindered the potential translational applications of EVs in cancer.

Research Interests

  • Extracellular Vesicles
    Clinical interest in extracellular vesicles (EVs) has heightened as accumulating evidence underscores their significance in intercellular communication. Small EVs, or exosomes, are constitutively secreted lipid bilayer vesicles across cell lineages, ranging from 30 to 150 nm in size. These vesicles contain a diverse molecular cargo comprising proteins, lipids, various RNA species (mRNA, miRNA, lncRNA), and DNA molecules (dsDNA, ssDNA, mtDNA). Consequently, EVs have emerged as potential biomarkers, offering prospects for monitoring cancer progression and serving as targets for therapeutic interventions. Notably, cancer-derived small EVs (sEVs) are detectable in a range of bodily fluids, including blood, urine, mucus, and bronchial fluids, thereby rendering them exploitable in liquid biopsy approaches.
  • Therapeutics
    The ability of small EVs to transfer biomolecules between cells highlights their potential in modulating intercellular communication for therapeutic purposes. Small EVs possess natural traits that facilitate effective drug delivery, including their ability to traverse biological barriers and be administered via various routes, offering flexibility in treatment strategies. These inherent advantages can be exploited with precise bioengineering of EV membrane proteins for targeted distribution to specific organs and cell types, improving therapeutic outcomes while minimizing unintended effects. As a result, EVs as an advanced bionanoparticle therapeutic may represent next-generation drug delivery resulting in safer and more effective therapies

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland

Publications

View all Publications

Supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

  • Doctor Philosophy

  • Doctor Philosophy

View all Supervision

Available Projects

  • - Developing novel translational nanotechnology for monitring extracellular vesicles realsed from the brain

    - Deveoping extracellular vesicle therapeutics for brain cancer

View all Available Projects

Publications

Book Chapter

Journal Article

Conference Publication

Other Outputs

PhD and MPhil Supervision

Current Supervision

Possible Research Projects

Note for students: The possible research projects listed on this page may not be comprehensive or up to date. Always feel free to contact the staff for more information, and also with your own research ideas.

  • - Developing novel translational nanotechnology for monitring extracellular vesicles realsed from the brain

    - Deveoping extracellular vesicle therapeutics for brain cancer