https://phys.org/news/2018-06-harnessing-silicon-nanoparticles-infections.html > University of Minnesota researcher Hongbo Pang assisted in discovering the first example of an effective gene therapeutic against lethal bacterial infections using a nanotherapeutic to deliver short interfering RNA (siRNA) that targets immune system cells. This research, published in the journal Nature Communications, was conducted by a team from the University of Minnesota; University of California, San Diego (UCSD); Sanford Burnham Medical Discovery Institute (SBMDI); and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). > "This study perfectly demonstrates the great potential of targeted nanotechnology in treating various human diseases," said Pang, an assistant professor in the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy.