Dr. Tamara Minko is a Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Pharmaceutics at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, a member of the Cancer Institute of New Jersey and Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute.

Dr. Minko’s current research interests include nanoscale-based targeted delivery of drugs, peptides, siRNA and antisense oligonucleotides in order to enhance the efficiency of treatment and imaging; nanoparticle formulation, characterization, and testing; preclinical in vitro and in vivo evaluation of anticancer therapeutics; orthotopic and ectopic animal models of cancer, lung diseases and fibrosis; personalized medicine; hypoxia; mechanisms of multidrug resistance and their suppression; intracellular fate and molecular mechanisms of action of drugs; pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.

She is an author and co-author of more than 400 publications (peer-reviewed papers, books and textbook chapters, conference proceedings/abstracts, and patents). Many of her papers are well cited and published in prestigious journals with high impact factors, including PNAS, Nature Nanotechnology, Cancer Research, Clinical Cancer Research, Advanced Drug Delivery Review, Journal of Controlled Release, Small, ACS Nano, etc. Dr. Minko is a Past President of the Controlled Release Society, a Fellow of AAPS, CRS, AIMBE, and IAAM a recipient of numerous awards, an Executive Editor of Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, an Editor of Pharmaceutical Research, a member of the editorial board of ten scientific journals and a member of Study Sections at NIH, DOD, American Heart Association and other national and international review panels. Grants from NIH, NSF, DOD, and other national and international sources support her research.

Dr. Garbuzenko is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutics at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.

During her postdoctoral training in the Membrane and Liposome Research laboratory at Hebrew University, she gained experience with developing liposomal-based systems for the delivery of local anesthetics and systemic delivery of anticancer drugs to treat different cancers.

Her current research interests focus on developing liposomes for the targeted delivery of drugs, peptides, siRNA, and antisense oligonucleotides to enhance treatment efficiency and imaging.

Dr. Garbuzenko has experience developing orthotopic and ectopic animal models of cancer, live animal imaging, and cellular and molecular biology. In addition, my technical skills include the preparation and characterization of liposomes with different sizes, molecular weights, charge and properties, encapsulation or conjugation of various drugs, plasmid DNA and siRNA with different nanocarriers, zeta-potential measurements, dynamic and static light scattering, ultrasonic velocimetry, densitometry, differential scanning calorimetry, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), etc. She also has extensive experience in using bioluminescence/fluorescence optical imaging systems and obtained special training in ultrasound imaging (Vevo 2100) at Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University.

Dr. Pogrebnyak is a Professional Research Manager in the Department of Pharmaceutics at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.

The major goal of Dr. Pogrebnyak'sresearch is to develop methods of production of single-domain monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 (as well as other coronaviruses) using plant-based expression systems. She has extensive experience in plant transformation technologies, production of transgenic herbicide-resistant cultivars of sugarbeet, potato, canola, and tobacco, and evaluation of mutant and transgenic plants in the greenhouse and in the field. Her current research interests focus on producing a recombinant vaccine and antibodies against SARS in transgenic plants, bacteria, and mammalian cells.

Dr. Pogrebnyak is proficient in plant propagation in sterile conditions, callus induction, the establishment of cell suspensions, in vitro regeneration, induction of embryogenesis, isolation and cultivation of protoplasts, plant regeneration from protoplasts, induction and evaluation of somaclonal variation, somatic hybridization, production of plant hybrids and cybrids; mutagenesis by gamma-irradiation/NMU/EMS; transformation of plants by Agrobacterium tumefaciens and Agrobacterium rhizogenes, particle bombardment, electroporation of protoplasts, PEG-treatment of protoplasts; production of transgenic plants, plastid (chloroplast) transformation, transient expression technologies; maintenance of plants in the greenhouse, evaluation of mutant and transgenic plants for herbicide resistance and stress resistance, field trials. She has strong experience in standard molecular biology techniques, ELISA, protein purification, enzyme assays, staining techniques, fluorescent imaging technology, immunofluorescent staining, green fluorescent protein and luciferase reporter assays, chromosomal analysis, autoradiography, flow cytometry.

Alden Ordaniel, (Spring 2025-Present), Pursuing Pharm.D./Ph.D. (Primary Adviser - T. Minko).

Husam Zahid, M.S. (Fall 2024-Present), Pursuing Ph.D. (Primary Adviser - T. Minko).

Simav Gildiz, B.S. (Fall 2021-Prsent), Pursuing Ph.D. (Primary Adviser - T. Minko).

Andrew Shen, M.S. (Fall 2018-Present), Pursuing Ph.D. (Primary Adviser - T. Minko).

Gaurang Patel, M.S. (Spring 2013-Present), Pursuing Ph.D. (Primary Adviser - T. Minko).

Abraham (Avri) Rubinstein, Ph.D., Professor, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel (Sabbatical, January – October 2004).

Paulina Skupin-Mrugalska, Ph.D., Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland (Visiting Scientist, August 2019 – February 2020; June – August 2023).

Špela Zupančič, Ph.D., University of Ljubljana, Slovenia (Visiting Scientist, January – August 2023).

Aleksandra (Ola) Romaniuk-Drapala, Ph.D., Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland (January – August 2023)

Anthony T. Fabbricatore, Ph.D. (2000-2001)

Jayant Khandare, Ph.D. (2004-2006)

Elizabeth Ber, Ph.D. (2005-2008)

Mahesh Patil, Ph.D. (2007-2008)

Oleh Taratula, Ph.D. (2009-2011)

Joydeb Majumder, Ph.D. (2019-2021)

Sonia S. Dharap (Fall 2000-Spring 2005), Defended Ph.D. Thesis (“Molecular targeting of drug delivery systems to ovarian cancer by BH3 and LHRH peptides”), May 2005 (Primary Adviser – T. Minko).
Yang Wang (Fall 2001-Spring 2007), Defended Ph.D. Thesis (“Hypoxia inducible factor – targeted anticancer prodrug”), May 2007 (Primary Adviser – T. Minko).
Refika I. Pakunlu (Spring 2001-Fall 2006), Defended Ph.D. Thesis (“Novel anticancer drug delivery system for molecular targeting of pup and nonpump cellular resistance”), May 2007 (Primary Adviser – T. Minko).
Sreeja Jayant (Spring 2005-Fall 2007), Defended M.S. Thesis (“Molecular modeling, design, synthesis and evaluation of targeted polymeric prodrugs”), May 2007 (Primary Adviser – T. Minko).

Seema Betigeri (Fall 2003-Spring 2009), Defended Ph.D. Thesis (“Jun N-Terminal Kinase 1 (Jnk1) as a Molecular Target to Limit Cellular Mortality Under Hypoxia”), May 2009 (Primary Adviser – T. Minko).
Alex M. Chen (Spring 2004-Spring 2009), Defended Ph.D. Thesis (“Nanotechnology for Efficient Delivery of Short Therapeutic Oligonucleotides and Co-delivery with Chemical Anticancer Drugs for Effective Cancer Therapy”), May 2009 (Co-Adviser – T. Minko).
Oleh Taratula (Fall 2003-Fall 2009), Defended Ph.D. Thesis (“Nanotechnology in Developing Multifunctional Non-Viral Gene Delivery Systems”), May 2009 (Co-Adviser – T. Minko).
Maha Saad (Fall 2005-Fall 2008), Defended Ph.D. Thesis (“Rece ptor-Targeted Nanocarriers for Tumor Specific Treatment and Imaging”), October 2008 (Primary Adviser – T. Minko).

Vatsal V. Shah (Fall 2008-Fall 2012), Defended Ph.D. Thesis (“Targeted Nanomedicine Platform for Cancer Stem Cells Specific Therapy “), December 2012 (Primary Adviser – T. Minko).
Anasuya Ghosh (Fall 2006-Fall 2012) Defended Ph.D. Thesis (“Salt Solid Dispersions: A Formulation Strategy to Enhance Dissolution Rate of Poorly Water-Soluble Ionic Drugs”), October 2012 (Primary Adviser – T. Minko).
Ming Zhang (Spring 2007-Fall 2011), Defended Ph.D. Thesis (“Two-in-One: Combined Targeted Chemo and Gene Therapy for Tumor Suppression and Prevention of Metastases”), January 2012 (Primary Adviser – T. Minko).
Pooja Chandna (Fall 2004-Spring 2011), Defended Ph.D.  Thesis (“Targeted Proapoptotic Anticancer Drug Delivery Systems”), May 2011 (Primary Adviser – T. Minko).

Noor Z. Kbah (Fall 2013-Spring 2016), Defended M.S. Thesis (“Nanotechnology Approach for Treatment of Cystic Fibrosis”), January 2016 (Primary Adviser – T. Minko).
Vera Ivanova (Fall 2009-Summer 2015), Defended Ph.D. Thesis (“Nanotechnology Approach for Inhalation Treatment of Pulmonary Fibrosis”), July 2015 (Primary Adviser – T. Minko).
Ronak Savla (Fall 2012-Summer 2014), Defended Ph.D. Thesis (“Tumor Responsive Targeted Multifunctional Nanosystems for Cancer Imaging, Chemo- and siRNA Therapy”), June 2014 (Primary Adviser – T. Minko).
John C. Praskavich, Jr.  (Fall 2009-Summer 2014), Defended M.S. Thesis (“Calcium Voltage-Gated Ion Channels as Biological Targets for Chemoresistance in Ovarian Cancer”) (Primary Adviser – T. Minko).

Andriy Kuzmov, Pharm.D. (Fall 2012-Spring 2018), Defended Ph.D. Thesis “Targeting lung cancer by identifying genes associated with resistance and developing lipid based nanodispersions for the inhalation delivery of therapeutic payloads”, June 2018 (Primary Adviser - T. Minko).
Pinak B. Khatri, M.S.  (Fall 2012-Spring 2018), Defended Ph.D. Thesis “Non-traditional application of drug and excipient”, May 2018 (Primary Adviser - T. Minko).
Milinkumar N. Shah (Spring 2009-October 2016), Defended Ph.D. Thesis “Strategies to Overcome Physicochemical and Biological Barriers in Chemotherapy by Formulation and Drug Delivery Device Combination”, October 2016 (Primary Adviser – T. Minko).
Sumayah Al-Mahmood (Spring 2014-Spring 2016), Defended M.S. Thesis “Nanotechnology Approach for Targeted Treatment of Triple Negative Breast Cancer”, May 2016 (Primary Adviser – T. Minko).

David Lee, Pharm.D. (Fall 2017-Fall 2024), Defended Ph.D. Thesis “Nose-to-Brain Delivery of Liposomes for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease”, November 2024 (Primary Adviser - T. Minko).
Xin Gu, B.S. (Fall 2016-Fall 2024), Defended Ph.D. Thesis “Advancements in Pancreatic Cancer Treatment: Efficacy of Octreotide-Modified Liposomes for Targeted Paclitaxel Delivery”, August 2024 (Primary Adviser - T. Minko).
Carl Allenspach, M.S.  (Spring 2008-Fall 2020), Defended Ph.D. Thesis “Directly compressible hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) to support continuous manufacturing”, September 2020 (Primary Adviser - T. Minko).
Justin Sapiezynski, B.S. (Fall 2013-Spring 2019), Defended Ph.D. Thesis “Nanotechnology approach for precision targeted therapy of ovarian cancer”, May 2019 (Primary Adviser - T. Minko).