Stephen Ehrenzeller
Research
Publications
2026
Bioactive enhanced adjuvant chemokine oligonucleotide nanoparticles (BEACONs) for mucosal vaccination against genital herpes.
Bhagchandani SH, Ehrenzeller S, Pires IS, Chaudhary N, Booth CJ, Kwon DI, Koutsioumpa C, Baker CA, Laxton C, Santos Guedes de Sá K, Matthews C, Gill P, Li S, Olszowka A, Hudak A, Fischer S, Bayarri-Olmos R, Hooper WB, Iwasaki A. Bioactive enhanced adjuvant chemokine oligonucleotide nanoparticles (BEACONs) for mucosal vaccination against genital herpes. Sci Immunol 2026, 11: eaea6419. PMID: 42319912, DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.aea6419.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchThis study investigates a novel vaccine strategy using BEACONs, a mucosal adjuvant, to enhance localized immunity and protect against genital herpes by boosting tissue-resident T cells and antibodies.A novel manganese glycerophosphate vaccine gel elicits broad and durable immunity across an aged and pox virus model
Islam M, Ontiveros-Padilla L, Ehrenzeller S, Middleton D, Roque J, Murphy C, Lukesh N, Hendy D, Pena E, Stack R, Polacheck W, Bachelder E, Ainslie K. A novel manganese glycerophosphate vaccine gel elicits broad and durable immunity across an aged and pox virus model. Nanoscale 2026, 18: 10795-10809. PMID: 42017804, DOI: 10.1039/d5nr03936c.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDendritic cellsAntibody titersUpregulation of costimulatory markersCD8+ T cellsCD4+ and CD8+ T cellsDose-limiting toxicityT cell responsesTh1-associated cytokinesDraining Lymph NodesOVA-specific IgGPre-clinical efficacyImmunization of miceControlled antigen releaseType I interferonCostimulatory markersAntigen recallIgG1 antibody titersLive attenuated vaccinesCGAS-STING pathwaySerum antibody titersLymph nodesT cellsVaccine platformCo-immunizationNovel adjuvantsHarnessing mucosal immunity for protective vaccines
Kwon D, Bhagchandani S, Ehrenzeller S, Iwasaki A. Harnessing mucosal immunity for protective vaccines. Nature Reviews Immunology 2026, 26: 507-524. PMID: 41699393, PMCID: PMC13088808, DOI: 10.1038/s41577-026-01273-7.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsMucosal immunityTissue-resident memory TLocal antibody secretionPathogen-specific immune responsesEffective mucosal immunityComplex immune environmentMemory TImmune environmentMucosal sitesMucosal vaccinesMucosal compartmentsB cellsEpithelial barrierEffector mechanismsSterilizing immunityAntibody secretionProtective immunityImmune responseMucosal surfacesHormonal influencesParenteral vaccinationEffective vaccineImmunityVaccineInfectious pathogens
2025
Induction of Antigen-Specific Tolerance in a Multiple Sclerosis Model without Broad Immunosuppression
Stiepel R, Simpson S, Lukesh N, Middleton D, Hendy D, Ontiveros-Padilla L, Ehrenzeller S, Islam J, Pena E, Carlock M, Ross T, Bachelder E, Ainslie K. Induction of Antigen-Specific Tolerance in a Multiple Sclerosis Model without Broad Immunosuppression. ACS Nano 2025, 19: 3764-3780. PMID: 39812522, PMCID: PMC12740341, DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c14698.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAntigen-specific toleranceMultiple sclerosisInduction of antigen-specific tolerancePatients vulnerable to infectionExperimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis modelCurrent treatment strategiesSeveral autoimmune disordersMultiple sclerosis modelCentral nervous systemAntigen hemagglutininReverse autoimmunityHind limb paralysisTolerogenic therapiesTolerated drugMS therapyPeak diseaseAutoimmune disordersBroad immunosuppressionAntigen-SpecificVulnerability to infectionImmunized miceTherapeutic modelTreatment strategiesClinical scoresSymptom onset
2024
Comparison of emulsion and spray methods for fabrication of rapamycin-loaded acetalated dextran microparticles
Ehrenzeller S, Lukesh N, Stiepel R, Middleton D, Nuzzolo S, Tate A, Batty C, Bachelder E, Ainslie K. Comparison of emulsion and spray methods for fabrication of rapamycin-loaded acetalated dextran microparticles. RSC Pharmaceutics 2024, 1: 727-741. PMID: 39415944, PMCID: PMC11474811, DOI: 10.1039/d4pm00054d.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMP uptakePoor bioavailabilityTherapeutic efficacyDrug release kineticsSoluble drugsFormulation designPre-clinical studiesOrgan transplant rejectionRapaTunable drug release kineticsDrug delivery formulationsImmunosuppressive medicationsDendritic cellsImmunosuppressive efficacyRelease kineticsTransplant rejectionAce-DEXAutoimmune diseasesDelivery formulationsLPS-stimulated macrophagesSubcutaneous injectionOptimal combination of sizeOff-target effectsInjection siteCellular uptakeMicroparticles incorporating dual apoptotic factors to inhibit inflammatory effects in macrophages
Simpson S, Middleton D, Lukesh N, Islam M, Ehrenzeller S, Bachelder E, Ainslie K. Microparticles incorporating dual apoptotic factors to inhibit inflammatory effects in macrophages. Journal Of Pharmaceutical Sciences 2024, 113: 3196-3205. PMID: 38852674, PMCID: PMC11560629, DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2024.05.030.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsT cell primingTh1 polarizationApoptotic cellsIL-10Immune responseLPS stimulationAberrant immune responseAnti-inflammatory cytokine expressionIL-10 productionExpression of M2IL-10 geneTolerogenic mechanismsAssociated gene expressionImmune toleranceAce-DEXAutoimmune diseasesCytokine expressionEnzyme IDO1Aryl hydrocarbon receptorPeritoneal macrophagesInflammatory effectsCellular associationEvaluated in vitroApoptotic factorsTherapeutic tool
2022
A predictive mechanistic model of drug release from surface eroding polymeric nanoparticles
Stiepel R, Pena E, Ehrenzeller S, Gallovic M, Lifshits L, Genito C, Bachelder E, Ainslie K. A predictive mechanistic model of drug release from surface eroding polymeric nanoparticles. Journal Of Controlled Release 2022, 351: 883-895. PMID: 36208792, PMCID: PMC10407653, DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.09.067.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDiffusion-erosion modelAce-DEX nanoparticlesDrug releaseMechanistic model of drug releaseModel of drug releasePolymeric nanoparticlesDrug release kineticsRelease of dexamethasoneDrug release modelEffective drug deliveryDrug release profileDrug release curvesPolymer degradationEffective diffusion coefficientAccurate predictionAce-DEXSide effectsTherapeutic effectPolymer nanoparticlesRelease kineticsDrug delivery vehiclesDegradation rateTarget tissuesAcetalated dextranMathematical model