Erik Rytting

Erik Rytting, PhD, MS serves as Associate Professor in both the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology at the University of Texas Medical Branch, while directing the Nanomedicine Laboratory. His dual appointments reflect the interdisciplinary nature of his work bridging clinical obstetrics and pharmaceutical sciences.

His educational background includes a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Brigham Young University and a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the University of Kansas, providing the foundation for his expertise in drug delivery systems. These qualifications positioned him to address critical challenges in maternal-fetal pharmacology.

Dr. Rytting's research program focuses on developing improved drug delivery strategies with special emphasis on transplacental transport mechanisms. His work addresses urgent clinical needs for pregnant women requiring pharmacotherapy for conditions including asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, HIV, and cancer, while ensuring fetal safety. The laboratory actively investigates nanoparticle transport across the placenta using BeWo cell models and explores therapeutic applications for fetal arrhythmias and congenital disorders requiring precise drug targeting.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong trajectory in nanomedicine applications for pregnancy-related conditions, with increasing collaboration across immunology, gynecological oncology, and clinical pharmacology. His work on folate-mediated nanoparticle transport and indomethacin pharmacokinetics represents significant advances in understanding medication safety during pregnancy.

• Principal Investigator for "Nanobody Transplacental Transport" project (2020-2024) funded by Tectonic Therapeutic, Inc.
• Active research program with 69 total publications spanning 2004-2024
• Significant citation impact with 2,697 total citations and h-index of 27

As laboratory director, Dr. Rytting leads a research team investigating novel delivery systems that balance maternal therapeutic needs with fetal protection, addressing one of medicine's most challenging pharmacological frontiers.