Jacob Elmer, PhD
Dicciani Endowed Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering | College of Engineering Villanova University
Social
Areas of Expertise
Biography
Genetic Engineering:
Decades of research have yielded several vehicles that can efficiently deliver genes to human cells (e.g. viruses, lipids, polymers), but most transgenes are recognized as foreign and quickly silenced after they reach the nucleus. Dr. Elmer’s research focuses on enhancing and prolonging transgene expression to make gene therapy more effective - specifically, enhancing gene expression inside T cells, which can then be genetically reprogrammed and used to target and eradicate leukemia cells.
Blood Substitutes:
A shortage in human blood donations is a serious and life-threatening issue that plagues developing countries, battlefields and healthcare facilities alike. Dr. Elmer’s research is focused on finding a universal donor “blood substitute” that is safe, stable for long periods of time and is an effective oxygen carrier. His research is currently focused on developing invertebrate hemoglobins as novel blood substitutes.
Education
Ohio State University
PhD
University of Missouri
BS
Dual BS degrees in Biochemical Engineering and Biological Sciences
Select Accomplishments
2017 NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award
The CAREER Program offers the National Science Foundation's most prestigious award in support of the early career-development activities of those teacher-scholars who most effectively integrate research and education within the context of the mission of their organization. Dr. Elmer’s award will support the study of the innate immune response to non-viral gene therapy in non-immune cells (e.g. prostate or breast cancer cells).
2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChe) Outstanding Faculty Award
The Outstanding Faculty Award recognizes a faculty member, preferably within the first five years of his/her appointment, who has contributed to the profession through publications and presentations in his/her field, demonstrated commitment to teaching and students and a strong record of service to the department, college, university and professional organizations.
Select Media Appearances
Synthetic Blood Substitute Research Advances Rapidly
The Washington Post print
2022-04-16
Jacob Elmer’s group at Villanova University is instead exploring hemoglobin from the earthworm commonly known as Canadian nightcrawler — which naturally circulates in the bloodstream without the protection of a red blood cell.
“Earthworm hemoglobin has many favorable adaptations that makes it a great blood substitute candidate,” Elmer said, “and preliminary studies have shown that they can safely deliver oxygen in mice and hamsters without the adverse effects of cow and human hemoglobin.”
How Earthworms Could Be Used to Save Lives on the Battlefield
KYW Newsradio radio
2020-01-22
Earthworm hemoglobin could soon be used as a blood substitute to save the lives of soldiers in the field. Dr. Jacob Elmer, associate professor of chemical engineering at Villanova University, says the substitute is plentiful and appears to work.
"You can go to Walmart right now and get them, Canadian nightcrawlers. So, so far we've only tested it in mice and hamsters but what we've seen so far has been very promising," he said.
He says in the past, blood substitutes have come from humans or cows and have all had serious side effects including stroke and heart attacks. The earthworm substitute doesn't have to be refrigerated so it's perfect for use on the battlefield and it can be used for any blood type.
This Villanova Researcher is Using Earthworms to Create a Human Blood Substitute
Philadelphia Magazine online
2019-12-18
Jacob Elmer wants to eliminate our reliance on human blood donations. The associate professor of chemical engineering at Villanova University is researching the potential of earthworm hemoglobin as a substitute for human blood. So far, Elmer has seen promising results in hamsters and is now looking to expand his research to test the earthworm-derived solution on pigs and eventually humans.
Villanova Professor Sees Earthworms as Hope for Human Blood Substitute
Philly Voice online
2017-02-07
Jacob Elmer says his research on earthworm hemoglobin could address several medical needs.
“While transfusions of donated blood are the safest and most effective way to treat a patient with severe blood loss, there are many situations — military battlefields, remote areas, developing countries — in which blood is unavailable because it must be constantly refrigerated. My goal is to develop a ‘blood substitute’ that does not require refrigeration and can be deployed to save lives in these cases.”
Research Grants
CAREER: Manipulating the Innate Immune Response to Improve Gene Therapy
National Science Foundation
2017-2022
Evaluation of Invertebrate Hemoglobins as Effective, Safe, and Ultra-Stable Blood Substitutes
National Institutes of Health
2017-2020
Biomanufacturing: Optimizing the Isolation, Transfection, and Expansion of CAR-T cells with Modified PES Membranes
National Science Foundation
2016-2018
Manipulating Epigenetic Mechanisms to Enhance Non-Viral Transgene Expression
National Science Foundation
2014-2017
Select Academic Articles
Optimizing the lyophilization of Lumbricus terrestris erythrocruorin
Artificial Cells, Nanomedicine, and BiotechnologySean Dowd, Catherine Sharo, Osheiza Abdulmalik & Jacob Elmer
2024
Sequencing of the Lumbricus terrestris genome reveals degeneracy in its erythrocruorin genes
BiochimieSean Dowd, Luke Lagalante, Jack Rahlfs, Catherine Sharo, Dana Opulente, Anthony Lagalante, Jacob Elmer
2024
Optimization of electroporation and other non-viral gene delivery strategies for T cells
Biotechnology ProgressEmily Harris, Jacob J. Elmer
2020
Prolonging the shelf life of Lumbricus terrestris erythrocruorin for use as a novel blood substitute
Artificial Cells, Nanomedicine, and BiotechnologyMuzzelo C, Neely C, Shah P, Abdulmalik O, Elmer J.
2017
