Meet the Expert: Juliane Nguyen

Dr. Juliane Nguyen leads ground-breaking research on ways to more effectively deliver therapeutics in order to better treat heart attacks and colitis

Story by Sarah Clark | Photo provided by Juliane Nguyen | Published April 8, 2025

From the lab bench to the pottery wheel, Dr. Juliane Nguyen, professor and Vice Chair of the Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics (DPMP) at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, dedicates much of her time to enhancing and enriching the lives of others.

Juliane’s pharmacy journey started in Germany where she grew up. During her time as an undergrad at Philipps-University of Marburg, she became particularly interested in pharmaceutical technology, a discipline focused on drug delivery. Juliane went on to become a board-certified pharmacist and earn a PhD in pharmaceutical sciences.

Wanting to know what research was like in the United States, Juliane decided to pursue her post-doc in bioengineering at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). At UCSF, she had the opportunity to work with Dr. Frank Szoka, a pioneer in liposomal drug delivery. Inspired by the way scientists in the U.S. pushed scientific boundaries, Juliane decided to stay in academia for the lifelong learning opportunities.

Now, in her own lab at Carolina, Juliane focuses on molecular engineering and synthetic biology, in which she works on developing therapeutics for diseases that lack a cure such as cancer, myocardial infarction, and colitis. “By leveraging molecular engineering and pharmaceutical sciences, we aim to create biotherapeutics that are safe, effective, and customized to meet the specific needs of individual patients,” shares Juliane.

Juliane and her colleagues are currently working on two key projects: developing a ‘zippersome’ approach to deliver heart attack treatments and employing ‘AnchorBiotics’ to treat colitis.

“Heart attack treatments haven’t changed much in the last 20 years, mainly due to drug delivery challenges,” Juliane notes. The delivery of medication to the heart is tricky, given that the heart only receives 5% of the volume of blood flowing through the body; in comparison, the liver gets 25%. As a result, much of the therapeutic is delivered to places where it is not needed, causing side effects.

To address this challenge, Juliane’s lab developed a ‘zippersome’ approach to delivering therapeutics. ‘Zippersomes’ are tiny vesicles from stem cells with cardio-regenerative effects. Her lab has equipped these vesicles with Velcro-like proteins to deliver doses of therapeutics to the heart in a more effective manner.

Dr. Brian Jensen, MD, who collaborates with Juliane on this project, shares what it’s like to work with her on such important work. “She is an outstanding collaborator who possesses all the traits of the most successful scientists: creativity, insight, enthusiasm, and an ability to communicate her ideas clearly. Her work in the cardiovascular field is groundbreaking and holds high potential for making much-needed therapeutic advances,” he explains.

Her other project focuses on ‘AnchorBiotics’, which is a term created for engineered yeast probiotics that are used to treat colitis. They can modulate the gut microbiota, regulate immune responses, and mediate anti-inflammatory effects. Preclinical trials have shown significant improvement of retention in the gut.

“We envision AnchorBiotics being used as a primary treatment for inflammatory bowel disease or as an adjunct therapy to existing treatments,” Juliane elaborates. In addition to better performance, these probiotics can also be taken orally, as opposed to injections or infusions. This allows for a more patient-friendly experience as well as a reduction in adverse side effects.

Dr. Janelle Arthur, PhD, who works with Juliane as a collaborator on the development of engineered yeast, shares some insight into Juliane’s impact on the team. “Juliane’s sharp intellect and professionalism make her an incredible leader, while her enthusiasm and creativity make our collaboration both productive and genuinely enjoyable. Juliane fosters an engaging environment where great ideas thrive, and the work is as exciting as the discoveries themselves.”

As complex as Juliane’s research is, the objective is clear: improving the lives of patients. “Since joining Carolina, our research has become more translational, focusing on unmet clinical needs and more effective and safer therapeutics. Working with my students and postdocs, we follow where science leads us, always aiming to make a meaningful impact,” Juliane says.

As someone who loves nature, Juliane makes sure to spend time outdoors when she can step out of the lab— running with her husband and dogs, hiking, or even snorkeling. She also takes time to explore her passion for pottery. “I especially enjoy making custom graduation mugs for my students, trying to add a personal touch to their graduation after years of hard work,” she adds.

Whether it’s in the lab or in the form of pottery, Juliane’s contributions to her team, students, and the greater scientific community will change lives for the better.