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Dr. Eduardo Ruiz-Hernandez
Ussher Associate Professor, Pharmacy

Biography

Eduardo Ruiz-Hernandez is the Ussher Assistant Professor in Pharmaceutical Chemistry of Nanocarrier Drug Delivery Systems in the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity College Dublin. Over the past 13 years, he has participated in 25 highly multidisciplinary collaborative projects funded by a variety of national and international sources (EU FP6/FP7/H2020, BBSRC, SFI, CTMM The Netherlands, Spanish MICIIN, CIBER-BBN) across 7 countries in diverse scientific fields including nanomedicine, materials chemistry, drug/gene delivery and tissue engineering. His research programme aims to design Responsive nanosystems with disease-specific theranostic potential. These systems will dramatically impact the targeted release of diagnostic agents and drugs with nanomedicines that respond to biological cues or changing pathophysiological conditions, thus enabling ultrasensitive diagnosis and exquisite therapy selectivity.

During the last years, he has led a research on stimuli-responsive nanosystems with applications in advanced drug delivery and biosensing (e.g. rapid detection of viral diseases). His research team has identified brain tumors, particularly glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), as an ideal target for controlled release nanosystems. By embedding drug-loaded nanocarriers within polymeric gel depots, it is hypothesized that an improved treatment as compared to the current gold standard can be achieved. As an expert in drug delivery systems, and in collaboration with clinicians and leading international experts, he intends to combine stimuli-responsive nanoparticles modified with tumor-specific molecules and injectable hydrogels that can be locally implanted to provide sustained delivery at the target site. The team is constantly looking for talented and motivated researchers and collaborators to join in this endeavor.

Publications and Further Research Outputs

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Cristina de la Torre, Carmen Coll, Amelia Ultimo, Félix Sancenón, Ramón Martínez-Máñez, Eduardo Ruiz-Hernández, In Situ-Forming Gels Loaded with Stimuli-Responsive Gated Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for Local Sustained Drug Delivery, Pharmaceutics, 15, (4), 2023, p1071- Journal Article, 2023

Amelia Ultimo, Mar Orzaez, Maria J Santos-Martinez, Ramón Martínez-Máñez, María D Marcos, Félix Sancenón, Eduardo Ruiz-Hernández, High-capacity mesoporous silica nanocarriers of siRNA for applications in retinal delivery, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24, (3), 2023, p2753- Journal Article, 2023 URL

LCS Erthal, Y Shi, KJ Sweeney, OL Gobbo, E Ruiz-Hernandez, Nanocomposite formulation for a sustained release of free drug and drug-loaded responsive nanoparticles: an approach for a local therapy of glioblastoma multiforme, Scientific Reports, 13, (1), 2023, p5094- Journal Article, 2023

Rebecca Maher, Almudena Moreno-Borrallo, Dhruvi Jindal, Binh T Mai, Eduardo Ruiz-Hernandez, Andrew Harkin, Intranasal Polymeric and Lipid-Based Nanocarriers for CNS Drug Delivery, Pharmaceutics, 15, (3), 2023, p746- Journal Article, 2023

K Zivojevic, M Mladenovic, M Djisalov, M Mundzic, E Ruiz-Hernandez, I Gadjanski, N Z Knezevic, Advanced mesoporous silica nanocarriers in cancer theranostics and gene editing applications, Journal of Controlled Release, 337, 2021, p193 - 211 Journal Article, 2021 URL

Luiza CS Erthal, Oliviero L Gobbo, Eduardo Ruiz-Hernandez, Biocompatible Copolymer Formulations to Treat Glioblastoma Multiforme, Acta Biomaterialia, 121, 2021, p89 - 102 Journal Article, 2021

M Martinez Carmona, QP Ho, J Morand, A Garcia, E Ortega, LCS Erthal, E Ruiz-Hernandez, M Dolores Santana, J Ruiz, M Vallet-Regi, YK Gunko, Amino-Functionalized Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticle-Encapsulated Octahedral Organoruthenium Complex as an Efficient Platform for Combatting Cancer, Inorganic Chemistry, 59, (14), 2020, p10275 - 10284 Journal Article, 2020

Q Sun, X Bai, AM Sofias, R van der Meel, E Ruiz-Hernandez, G Storm, WE Hennink, B de Geest, F Kiessling, H Yu, T Lammers, Y Shi, Cancer nanomedicine meets immunotherapy: opportunities and challenges, Acta Pharmacologica Sinica, 41, (7), 2020, p954 - 958 Journal Article, 2020

Bo Lou, Kate Connor, Kieron Sweeney, Ian S Miller, Alice O'Farrell, Eduardo Ruiz-Hernandez, David M Murray, Garry P Duffy, Alan Wolfe, Enrico Mastrobattista, Annette T Byrne, Wim E Hennink, RGD-decorated cholesterol stabilized polyplexes for targeted siRNA delivery to glioblastoma cells, Drug delivery and translational research, 9, (3), 2019, p679 - 693 Journal Article, 2019

Tatiane Eufrásio-da-Silva, Eduardo Ruiz-Hernandez, Joanne O'Dwyer, Dolores Picazo-Frutos, Garry P Duffy, Bruce P Murphy, Enhancing medial layer recellularization of tissue-engineered blood vessels using radial microchannels, Regenerative medicine, 14, (11), 2019, p1013 - 1028 Journal Article, 2019

Aamir Hameed, Laura B Gallagher, Eimear Dolan, Janice O'Sullivan, Eduardo Ruiz-Hernandez, Garry P Duffy, Helena Kelly, Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microparticles - development, characterisation, and in vitro assessment of bioactivity for cardiac applications, Journal of Microencapsulation, 36, (3), 2019, p267 - 277 Journal Article, 2019

O'Neill, H.; O'Sullivan, J.O.; Porteous, N.; Ruiz-Hernandez, E.; Kelly, H.; O'Brien, F.; Duffy, G.P. , A collagen cardiac patch incorporating alginate microparticles permits the controlled release of HGF and IGF-1 to enhance cardiac stem cell migration and proliferation, Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, 12, 2018, pe384 - e394 Journal Article, 2018

Nam, L.; Coll, C.; Erthal, L.C.S.; de la Torre, C.; Serrano, D.; Martínez-Máñez, R.; Santos-Martínez, M.J.; Ruiz-Hernández, E., Drug delivery nanosystems for the localized treatment of glioblastoma multiforme, Materials, 11, (5), 2018, p779- Review Article, 2018 DOI

Carmen Coll, Luiza C.S. Erthal, Sara Toselli, Eduardo Ruiz-Hernandez, Stimuli-responsive nanosystems combined with injectable gels for local chemotherapy , III International Symposium on Nanoparticles/Nanomaterials and Applications, Lisbon (Portugal), January , 2018 Invited Talk, 2018

Carmen Coll, Luiza C.S. Erthal, Sara Toselli, Eduardo Ruiz-Hernandez, Controlling the release of chemotherapeutics with nanoparticle-hydrogel composites , Irish Association for Cancer Research conference, Dublin (Ireland), February, 2018 Invited Talk, 2018

O'Neill HS, Herron CC, Hastings CL, Deckers R, Lopez Noriega A, Kelly HM, Hennink WE, McDonnell CO, O'Brien FJ, Ruiz-Hernández E, Duffy GP, A stimuli responsive liposome loaded hydrogel provides flexible on-demand release of therapeutic agents, Acta Biomaterialia, 48, 2017, p110 - 119 Journal Article, 2017

Martín-Saavedra F, Ruiz-Hernández E, Escudero-Duch C, Prieto M, Arruebo M, Sadeghi N, Deckers R, Storm G, Hennink WE, Santamaría J, Vilaboa N, Lipogels responsive to near-infrared light for the triggered release of therapeutic agents, Acta Biomaterialia, 61, 2017, p54 - 65 Journal Article, 2017

Van Elk, M.; Murphy, B.P.; Eufrasio-da-Silva, E.; O'Reilly, D.; Vermonden, T.; Hennink, W.E.; Duffy, G.P.; Ruiz-Hernández, E., Targeted responsive nanomedicines for advanced cancer treatments, International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 515, 2016, p132 - 164 Journal Article, 2016

O'Neill, H.S., Gallagher, L.B., O'Sullivan, J., Whyte, W., Curley, C., Dolan, E., Hameed, A., O'Dwyer, J., Payne, C., O'Reilly, D., Ruiz-Hernandez, E., Roche, E.T., O'Brien, F.J., Cryan, S.A., Kelly, H., Murphy, B., Duffy, G.P., Biomaterial-Enhanced Cell and Drug Delivery: Lessons Learned in the Cardiac Field and Future Perspectives, Advanced Materials, 2016, p5648-5661- Journal Article, 2016 DOI

H. O'Neill, C. Herron, C. Hastings, A. Lopez-Noriega, H.M. Kelly, F.J. O'Brien, E. Ruiz-Hernandez, G.P. Duffy , Spatiotemporal delivery of small molecule therapeutics using a thermosensitive liposome loaded hydrogel, Journal of Controlled Release, 213, 2015, ppe28 - e29 Meeting Abstract, 2015

O'Neill, H ; Herron, C ; Hastings, C ; Lopez-Noriega, A ; O'Brien, F ; Kelly, H ; Ruiz-Hernandez, E ; Duffy, G, A Stimuli Responsive Liposome Loaded Hydrogel for the Controlled Release of Pro-angiogenic Therapeutics to Repair the Infarcted Heart , TISSUE ENGINEERING PART A, 21, 2015, ppS302- Meeting Abstract, 2015

Hastings CL, Roche ET, Ruiz-Hernandez E, Schenke-Layland K, Walsh CJ, Duffy GP, Drug and cell delivery for cardiac regeneration., Advanced drug delivery reviews, 84, 2015, p85-106 Journal Article, 2015 DOI TARA - Full Text

Martin-Saavedra, FM; Escudero, C; Prieto, M; Arruebo, M; Santamaria, J; Sadeghi, N; Deckers, R; Storm, G; Hennink, WE ; Ruiz-Hernandez, E ; Vilaboa, N, Plasmonic Lipogels Responsive to Near Infrared Light for Remote Control of Drug Release , TISSUE ENGINEERING PART A , 21, 2015, ppS374- Meeting Abstract, 2015

Eufrasio-da-Silva, T, Ruiz-Hernandez, E, McDonough, L, Duffy, GP, Murphy, BP , Magnetic Nanocarriers in Tissue Engineered Vascular Grafts, TISSUE ENGINEERING PART A, 21, 2015, ppS165- Meeting Abstract, 2015

Ruiz-Hernández, E.; Hess, M.; Melen, G.J.; Theek, B.; Talelli, M.; Shi, Y.; Ozbakir, B.; Teunissen, E.A.; Ramírez, M.; Moeckel, D.; Kiessling, F.; Storm, G.; Scheeren, J.W.; Hennink, W.E.; Szalay, A.A.; Stritzker, J.; Lammers, T., PEG-pHPMAm-based polymeric micelles loaded with doxorubicin-prodrugs in combination antitumor therapy with oncolytic vaccinia virus, Polymer Chemistry , 7, 2014, p1674 - 1681 Journal Article, 2014

López-Noriega, A.; Hastings, C.L.; Ozbakir, B.; O'Donnell, K.E.; O'Brien, F.J.; Storm, G.; Hennink, W.E.; Duffy, G.P.; Ruiz-Hernández, E.* , Hyperthermia-induced drug delivery from thermosensitive liposomes encapsulated in an injectable hydrogel for intratumoral chemotherapy, Advanced Healthcare Materials , 3, 2014, p854 - 859 Journal Article, 2014

López-Noriega, A.; Ruiz-Hernández, E.*; Quinlan, E.; Storm, G.; Hennink, W.E.; O'Brien, F.J., Thermally triggered release of a pro-osteogenic peptide from a functionalized collagen-based scaffold using thermosensitive liposomes, Journal of Controlled Release , 187, 2014, p158 - 166 Journal Article, 2014

Knezevic, N.Z*; Ruiz-Hernández, E*; Hennink, W.E.; Vallet-Regí, M., Magnetic iron oxide/mesoporous silica core/shell nanoparticles for biomedical applications, RSC Advances , 3, 2013, p9584 - 9593 Journal Article, 2013

Arcos, D.; Fal-Miyar, V.; Ruiz-Hernández, E.; García-Hernández, M.; Ruiz, M.L.; González-Calbet, J.; Vallet-Regí, M., Supramolecular mechanisms in the synthesis of mesoporous magnetic nanospheres for hyperthermia, Journal of Materials Chemistry , 22, 2012, p64 - 72 Journal Article, 2012

Ruiz-Hernández, E.; Storm, G.; Hennink, W. E. , Smart nanosystems for advanced cancer therapy, European Science Open Forum, Dublin (Ireland) , 2012 Poster, 2012

Alcaide, M.; Ramírez-Santillán, C.; Feito M.J.; Matesanz, M.C.; Ruiz-Hernández, E.; Arcos, D.; Vallet-Regí, M.; Portolés, M.T. , In vitro evaluation of glass-glass ceramic thermoseed induced hyperthermia on human osteosarcoma cell line, Journal of Biomedical Materials Research - Part A, 100, 2012, p64 - 71 Journal Article, 2012

Baeza, A.; Guisasola, E.; Ruiz-Hernández, E.; Vallet-Regí, M., Magnetically triggered multi-drug release by hybrid mesoporous silica nanoparticles, Chemistry of Materials, 24, 2012, p517 - 524 Journal Article, 2012

González, B.; Ruiz-Hernández, E.; Feito, M.J.; López de Laorden, C.; Arcos, D.; Rámírez-Santillán, C.; Matesanz, M.C.; Portolés, M.T.; Vallet-Regí, M. , Covalently bonded dendrimer-maghemite nanosystems: nonviral vectors for in vitro gene magnetofection, Journal of Materials Chemistry , 21, 2011, p4598 - 4604 Journal Article, 2011

Vallet-Regí, M.; Ruiz-Hernández, E., Bioceramics: From bone regeneration to cancer nanomedicine, Advanced Materials , 23, 2011, p5177 - 5218 Journal Article, 2011

Ruiz-Hernández, E.; Baeza, A.; Vallet-Regí, M., Smart drug delivery through DNA/magnetic nanoparticle gates, ACS Nano, 5, 2011, p1259 - 1266 Journal Article, 2011

Vallet-Regí, M.; Ruiz-Hernández, E.; González, B.; Baeza, A. , Design of smart nanomaterials for drug and gene delivery, Journal of Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, 1, 2011, p6 - 29 Journal Article, 2011

Ruiz-Hernández, E.; López-Noriega, A.; Arcos, D.; Vallet-Regí. M., Multifunctional nano and microparticles for drug delivery systems, Key Engineering Materials , 441, 2010, p333 - 355 Journal Article, 2010

Martín-Saavedra, F.M.; Ruiz-Hernández, E.; Boré, A; Arcos, D.; Vallet-Regí, M.; Vilaboa, N., Magnetic mesoporous silica spheres for hyperthermia therapy, Acta Biomaterialia , 6, 2010, p4522 - 4531 Journal Article, 2010

López-Noriega, A.; Ruiz-Hernández, E.; Stevens, S.M.; Arcos, D.; Anderson, M.W.; Terasaki, O.; Vallet-Regí, M. , Mesoporous microspheres with doubly ordered core-shell structure, Chemistry of Materials , 21, 2009, p18 - 20 Journal Article, 2009

Kinnari, T.J.; Esteban, J.; Gómez-Barrena, E.; Zamora, M.; Fernández-Roblas, R.; Nieto, A.; Doadrio, J.C.; López-Noriega, A.; Ruiz-Hernández, E.; Arcos, D.; Vallet-Regí, M., Bacterial adherence to SiO2-based multifunctional bioceramics, Journal of Biomedical Materials Research - Part A, 89, 2009, p215 - 223 Journal Article, 2009

Arcos, D.; López-Noriega, A.; Ruiz-Hernández, E.; Terasaki, O.; Vallet-Regí, M., Ordered mesoporous microspheres for bone grafting and drug delivery, Chemistry of Materials , 21, 2009, p1000 - 1009 Journal Article, 2009

Arcos, D.; López-Noriega, A.; Ruiz-Hernández, E.; Ruiz, L.; González-Calbet, J.M.; Vallet-Regí, M., Synthesis of mesoporous microparticles for biomedical applications, Key Engineering Materials , 377, 2008, p181 - 194 Journal Article, 2008

López-Noriega, A.; Ruiz-Hernández, E.; Arcos, D.; Terasaki, O.; Vallet-Regí, M., Highly ordered bioactive mesoporous microspheres for periodontal treatment, 8th World Biomaterials Congress, Amsterdam (The Netherlands) , 2008 Poster, 2008

López-Noriega, A.; Ruiz-Hernández, E.; Stevens, S.M.; Arcos, D.; Terasaki, O.; Vallet-Regí, M. , Silica-based microspheres as biomaterials, Sweden-China Meeting on Mesoporous Crystals, Stockholm (Sweden) , 2008 Oral Presentation, 2008

Ruiz-Hernández, E.; López-Noriega, A.; Arcos, D.; Vallet-Regí, M., Mesoporous magnetic microspheres for drug targeting, Solid State Sciences , 10, 2008, p421 - 426 Journal Article, 2008

Serrano, M.C.; Portolés, M.T.; Pagani, R.; Sáez de Guinoa, J.; Ruiz-Hernández, E.; Arcos, D.; Vallet-Regí, M. , In vitro positive biocompatibility evaluation of glass-glass ceramic thermoseeds for hyperthermic treatment of bone tumours, Tissue Engineering , 14, 2008, p617 - 627 Journal Article, 2008

Ruiz-Hernández, E.; López-Noriega, A.; Arcos, D.; Izquierdo-Barba, I.; Terasaki, O.; Vallet-Regí, M., Aerosol-assisted synthesis of magnetic mesoporous silica spheres for drug targeting, Chemistry of Materials, 19, 2007, p3455 - 3463 Journal Article, 2007

Ruiz-Hernández, E.; López-Noriega, A.; Arcos, D.; Vallet-Regí, M. , Mesoporous magnetic microspheres for drug targeting, European Conference on Solid State Chemistry, Caen (France) , 2007 Poster, 2007

Ruiz-Hernández, E.; Serrano, M.C.; Pagani, R.; Portolés, M.T.; Arcos, D.; Vallet-Regí, M. , In vitro biocompatibility of glass-glass ceramic thermoseeds for hyperthermic treatment of bone tumors, XXXI Reunión Bienal de la Real Sociedad Española de Química, Toledo (Spain) , 2007 Poster, 2007

Ruiz-Hernández, E.; Serrano, M.C.; Arcos, D.; Vallet-Regí, M., Glass-glass ceramic thermoseeds for hyperthermic treatment of bone tumours, Journal of Biomedical Materials Research - Part A, 79, 2006, p533 - 543 Journal Article, 2006

Manzano, M.; Arcos, D.; Rodríguez-Delgado, M.; Ruiz-Hernández, E.; Gil, F.J.; Vallet-Regí, M. , Bioactive Star Gels, Chemistry of Materials, 18, 2006, p5696 - 5703 Journal Article, 2006

Manzano, M.; Balas, F.; Arcos, D.; Rodríguez-Delgado, M.; Ruiz-Hernández, E.; Gil, F.J.; Vallet-Regí, M. , Star Gels for medical applications, 5th International Conference on Inorganic Materials, Ljubljana (Slovenia) , 2006 Poster, 2006

Ruiz-Hernández, E.; Serrano, M.C.; Pagani, R.; Portolés, M.T.; Arcos, D.; Vallet-Regí, M., Glass-glass ceramic thermoseeds for hyperthermic treatment of bone tumors, Glass-glass ceramic thermoseeds for hyperthermic treatment of bone tumors, Nantes (France) , 2006 Poster, 2006

Ruiz-Hernández, E.; Rodríguez-Delgado, M.; Arcos, D.; Manzano, M.; Vallet-Regí, M. , Organic-inorganic hybrid solids for bone replacement. , 10th European Conference on Solid State Chemistry, Sheffield (United Kingdom) , 2005 Poster, 2005

Research Expertise

Description

- Investigation of drug release and stability of nanomedicines - Synthesis of inorganic and organic-inorganic hybrid nanoparticles for the delivery of bioactive therapeutics - Design, processing and assessment of biomaterials for drug and gene delivery My main research interest is in the design and manufacture of novel delivery systems combining injectable polymer matrices that contain free drug and stimuli-responsive theranostic nanoparticles loaded with drugs and contrast agents. My team has prepared matrices able to deliver a sustained release of free drug and drug-loaded nanoparticles, focusing on the treatment of brain tumors. Advanced biomaterials offer new solutions to the challenges associated with the non-specific delivery of therapeutics that leads to ineffective treatments, especially in oncology. Currently, both therapeutic and diagnostic molecules are administered systemically, increasing the likelihood of side effects. I aim to develop delivery systems that enable selective, targeted delivery of therapeutics, as well as imaging agents. In the example of brain tumors, we are developing novel therapeutic options that overcome the shortcomings of current treatments: limited penetration of the blood brain barrier by intravenously-administered drugs, limited penetration and lack of specificity of intracranially-administered drugs. Our proposed technology will facilitate selective diagnostic and prognostic imaging to allow the identification of residual or recurrent cancer cells. This research programme is truly multi-disciplinary, relying on inputs from different fields including biomaterials, cancer, neurosurgery and clinical translation. Technologies and research expertise should be combined to develop and preclinically characterise an innovative solution to a clear, clinical challenge: the targeted, controlled delivery of chemotherapeutic and imaging agents to surgical resection sites. While the overall aim is to develop and characterise novel systems for the controlled delivery of drugs and contrast agents (using brain tumors as a case study), this research line is expected to advance knowledge and capabilities in our research and technology domain and demonstrate the value of multi-disciplinary approaches to building solutions to clinically and technologically challenging problems. In future developments, I aim to deepen our understanding of nanomedicines that respond to biological cues or changing pathophysiological conditions, which could enable ultrasensitive diagnosis and exquisite therapy selectivity. Nanomedicine research against cancer focuses on the local targeted delivery of chemotherapeutics to enhance drug efficacy and reduce side effects. Despite all the efforts in the design of chemotherapeutic agents as nanomedicines, hardly any improvement has been translated into benefits for patients' survival. There is an urgent need for improved carrier systems able to deliver high doses of diagnostic agents and anti-cancer drugs to the tumor. Stimuli-responsive carriers are promising candidates since the release of the cargo can be triggered locally in the tumor environment. Currently, there exists an unparalleled effort to identify genes, proteins and metabolites implicated in human disease and utilize systems biology and mathematical approaches in order to develop new prognostic tools for the treatment of cancer and develop more targeted therapies for patients. In future plans, I intend to bring all these efforts and advances into the design of stimuli-responsive organic-inorganic hybrid nanoparticles that can adapt their response to the biological milieu. We will design engineered delivery systems consisting of an inorganic porous matrix surface-modified with tumor-specific molecules with the ability to sense changes in the environmental conditions and react by providing a proportional release.

Projects

  • Title
    • REACT
  • Summary
    • Responsive nanosystems for Advanced Cancer Treatment
  • Funding Agency
    • European Commission
  • Date From
    • 010119
  • Date To
    • 010124