Professor Tom Webster of Brown University is a leading researcher in nanomedicine, biomaterials and advanced drug delivery. With around 30 years of experience spanning academia and entrepreneurship, his work has explored how nanoparticles can be used to treat diseases including cancer and infection, support bone growth, and improve the delivery of therapeutics.
In this thought leadership interview, Professor Webster discusses the potential of nanotechnology to transform drug formulation and delivery, the challenges of developing clinically viable nanoparticle-based therapies, and the emerging role of AI and nanosensors in personalised medicine.
How can nanotechnology improve targeted drug delivery?
A key advantage of nanoparticles is their ability to penetrate tissues and cells in ways that larger particles cannot. This opens opportunities for nanoparticles to act as therapeutic agents themselves or to carry medicines directly to specific disease sites.
Webster highlights their potential to reach tumours and infectious biofilms while helping to minimise off-target effects. By directing drugs more precisely towards particular cells or tissues, nanoparticle-enabled delivery could improve treatment effectiveness while reducing side effects associated with therapies such as chemotherapy and antibiotics.
What are the main formulation and development challenges?
One of the most important challenges is manufacturing reproducibility. Webster, who has experience progressing nanoparticle technologies through the US FDA, explains that developers must demonstrate they can consistently manufacture particles at the required size and specification.
Targeting is another critical consideration. Nanoparticles must reach the intended tissue without accumulating in unintended organs such as the liver, kidneys or brain.
Safety and biocompatibility therefore need to be considered from the beginning of development. Webster also stresses the importance of identifying impurities introduced during manufacturing, as even small changes in nanoparticle chemistry can influence how a product behaves in the body.
What could have the greatest impact on patient care?
Looking ahead, Webster identifies artificial intelligence and nanosensors as two areas with particularly significant potential.
AI could support the development of personalised nanoparticles, helping researchers select the optimal particle size, chemistry and formulation for an individual patient, tumour or infection.
At the same time, nanoparticle-based sensors could enable much earlier disease detection by identifying cellular or molecular changes before symptoms emerge. Connected to devices such as smartphones, these technologies could ultimately enable more monitoring and diagnostics to take place in the home.
For Webster, the convergence of nanomedicine, personalised delivery, AI and sensing technologies could help move healthcare towards earlier intervention, greater precision and more patient-specific treatment.
