Delivery of therapeutics to articular cartilage remains a challenge for drug delivery systems due to the avascular dense matrix and rapid clearance from the joint. After delivery, native proteins can adsorb to nanocarriers forming a nanocarrier-protein complex which affects their targeting and transport properties- this complex is part of the “true identity” of nanocarrier. Simone Douglas-Green's research focuses on characterizing these interactions for synovial joints and cartilage, as well as designing dendritic drug carriers with a biomimetic protein corona to improve residence time and cartilage penetration.
Dr. Simone Douglas-Green received her B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Miami in 2015, and her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the joint program at Georgia Tech and Emory University in 2020 where she was a Sloan Scholar. She is currently a Postdoctoral Associate at MIT in the Department of Chemical Engineering under the mentorship of Dr. Paula Hammond. During her postdoc she has been awarded an NIH Diversity Supplement, NASEM Ford Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship, and a fellowship with the Burroughs Wellcome Fund Postdoctoral Enrichment Program (PDEP). Dr. Douglas-Green’s postdoctoral research focuses on designing nanocarriers to treat osteoarthritis, where she specifically studies how nanocarriers interact with the biological environment. Outside the lab, she enjoys watching TV medical dramas (she is a devoted Grey’s Anatomy fan!), listening to music, and cross-stitching. In January 2024, Dr. Douglas-Green is returning to Georgia Tech/Emory BME as an Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering.