Gail Matters

Gail Matters is an Associate Professor at Penn State University, holding dual appointments in the Department of Molecular and Precision Medicine and the Department of Medicine. She is affiliated with the Penn State Cancer Institute’s Next-Generation Therapies division. Her research focuses on developing novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for pancreatic cancer, particularly leveraging nanoparticle-based systems and understanding tumor microenvironment dynamics.

Her work includes collaboration with Dr. James Adair’s lab to encapsulate chemotherapy drugs into calcium-phosphosilicate nanoparticles (CPSNPs), using DNA aptamers for tumor-specific targeting. These nanoparticles also enable early cancer detection through imaging agents. She investigates CCK2 receptor antagonists like proglumide to reduce tumor fibrosis, enhancing chemotherapy efficacy. Additionally, her team examines exosome-mediated communication between cancer cells and macrophages, revealing how tumor-derived exosomes promote tumor progression through lipid signaling.

Matters has secured grants from the National Cancer Institute and National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, including a current 2022-2025 project on oncology education and training (PROMISE). Her research contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being).

Key collaborations span nanomedicine applications in oncology and atherosclerosis treatment, reflecting interdisciplinary strengths in biomedical engineering and molecular biology.