Pieter Cullis facts for kids

Pieter Rutter Cullis is a Canadian scientist. He is a physicist and biochemist. He is famous for his work with lipid nanoparticles (LNPs).

Dr. Cullis and his team have made big steps in creating "nanomedicines." These are tiny medicines that use LNP technology. They help treat cancer, deliver genes, and make vaccines. His work has led to five important medicines. These medicines have been approved by health agencies like the US Food and Drug Agency (FDA) and Health Canada.

He also helped start eleven biotechnology companies. These companies now employ over 400 people. He has written over 400 science papers. He also holds more than 100 patents. Some companies he co-founded include Acuitas Therapeutics and Precision NanoSystems. He also helped create two important science networks. These networks help turn new science ideas into useful products.

Two medicines using his LNP delivery systems are very important. One is called Onpattro. It was approved in August 2018. It treats a serious genetic disease called hATTR. Onpattro was the first medicine of its kind to be approved. The second is Comirnaty. This is the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine from Pfizer/BioNTech. It was approved in many countries. This vaccine helped a lot during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Billions of doses were given worldwide.

What Pieter Cullis Studies

Dr. Cullis is very interested in how fats (lipids) work in living cells. He also focuses on making nanomedicines. These tiny medicines use lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technology.

How Lipids Work in Cells

His studies on lipids look at two main things. First, he studies how fats in cell membranes can form different shapes. These shapes are important for processes like cells joining together. Second, he looks at how things move across these fat layers. This movement is often helped by tiny electrical differences.

Nanomedicines and Their Uses

Dr. Cullis's work in nanomedicines is very important. He designs LNP systems to carry small drug molecules. These are often drugs used to treat cancer. The goal is to make the drugs work better. They also aim to reduce harmful side effects. This is done by delivering the drugs right to where they are needed, like to tumors.

Another key area is using LNP technology for genetic medicines. These include small interfering RNA (siRNA) and messenger RNA (mRNA). These tiny genetic pieces can help with gene therapy. This even includes changing genes. His efforts have led to five nanomedicines being approved for use.

Important Approved Medicines

Two of these nanomedicines are especially notable.

• Onpattro: This gene therapy was approved in August 2018. It treats a genetic disease called hATTR amyloidosis. Onpattro was the first RNAi-based drug approved by the FDA. It uses an LNP system developed with Alnylam Pharmaceuticals and his team at UBC. Onpattro delivers an siRNA to turn off a specific gene in the liver. This medicine can stop the disease from getting worse. It can even reverse some problems caused by hATTR.
• Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 mRNA vaccine (BNT162b2, also known as Comirnaty): This vaccine relies on an LNP delivery system. It was developed by Acuitas, a company Dr. Cullis co-founded. The vaccine was approved for emergency use in December 2020. It has since been approved in many countries. It was found to be 95% effective at preventing COVID-19. It also had a good safety record. Billions of doses of this vaccine were given worldwide. It is credited with saving millions of lives.

Dr. Cullis's Career Journey

Dr. Cullis has had a long and impactful career. He has worked at the UBC for many years. He has also helped start and lead many companies. These companies focus on bringing new medical ideas to life.

Awards and Honors

Dr. Cullis has received many awards for his important scientific work. These awards recognize his contributions to medicine and science.

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