DC7 Seungtae Lee reports from the Theratools Satellite Event

On 29 April 2026, Seungtae Lee (DC7) attended the Theratools satellite event “Innovative Tools to Treat Glioblastoma”, held in Donostia-San Sebastián as part of the ChemBio 2026. The event gathered researchers developing advanced nanomedicine and biomaterial-based strategies to overcome one of the most critical obstacles in brain disease therapy: the blood-brain barrier (BBB).

Although the primary focus of the meeting was glioblastoma, many of the concepts and technologies discussed directly intersect with challenges faced in neurodegenerative disease research. Across presentations, it became clear that ineffective delivery to the central nervous system, rather than the absence of therapeutic targets, remains a major limitation shared by both brain cancer and neurodegenerative disease. While Seungtae’s research focuses on mitochondrial biology, these discussions were highly relevant as he has a strong interest in neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s disease.

A central theme of the meeting was the development of strategies to bypass the BBB, with particular emphasis on non-invasive nose-to-brain delivery routes and polymer-based nanocarriers capable of targeted delivery within the central nervous system. These approaches aim to improve intracellular targeting, a key challenge in addressing mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegeneration.

The discussions also highlighted the importance of the neurovascular interface in disease progression, particularly in Alzheimer’s disease, where impaired transport across the BBB contributes to the accumulation of amyloid-β and tau. Complementary nanomaterial strategies aimed at modulating efflux transporters illustrated the potential of restoring brain-to-blood clearance through “peripheral sink” mechanisms.