Jacques Lux, Ph.D.

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Dr. Jacques Lux obtained his PhD in chemistry at the University of Strasbourg under the guidance of Nobel Prize laureate Jean-Pierre Sauvage. His Ph.D. projects aimed at designing and developing synthetic molecular machines reminiscent of biological systems. Following his Ph.D., Dr. Lux conducted postdoctoral research at the faculty of pharmacy in Strasbourg, where he developed activatable optical probes for the detection of viral RNA. He then came to the U.S. to train in supramolecular chemistry in Professor Julius Rebek Jr.’s laboratory at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA. Dr. Lux received another postdoc opportunity at UCSD applying his skills in organic and coordination chemistry to the field of material science, and then became a Research Scientist to develop and translate theranostics for imaging and drug delivery.

While at UCSD, he designed and synthetized a novel MR contrast agent that incorporated gadolinium that was chelated and linked to hydrogel nanoparticles (nanogels). The advantage of this strategy is not only the development of high relaxivity T1 agents, but also minimizing demetallation. The versatility of this platform was demonstrated by incorporating ⁶⁴Cu instead of gadolinium that allowed for in vivo PET/CT imaging of cancer. Dr. Lux also participated in the development of novel activatable optical nanoprobes for the detection of inflammation.

He recently joined the newly established Translational Research in Ultrasound Theranostics (TRUST) program at UT Southwestern in the Department of Radiology focusing on the development of targeted and activatable ultrasound (US) agents that not only aid in cancer detection, but also under US control, release drugs and/or destroy tumors with high intensity focused ultrasound.

Undergraduate

University of Upper Alsace (2004), Chemistry

Graduate School

University of Upper Alsace (2006), Chemistry

Graduate School

University of Strasbourg (2009), Chemistry

• Activatable ultrasound imaging contrast agents
• Bioresponsive Theranostics
• Drug Delivery
• Immune Moduation
• Nanomedicine
• Ultrasound Theranostics

Featured Publications

Cancer immunotherapy based on image-guided STING activation by nucleotide nanocomplex-decorated ultrasound microbubbles.

Li X, Khorsandi S, Wang Y, Santelli J, Huntoon K, Nguyen N, Yang M, Lee D, Lu Y, Gao R, Kim BYS, de Gracia Lux C, Mattrey RF, Jiang W, Lux J, Nat Nanotechnol 2022 May

Catalase-Loaded Silica Nanoparticles Formulated via Direct Surface Modification as Potential Oxygen Generators for Hypoxia Relief.

Heble AY, Santelli J, Armstrong AM, Mattrey RF, Lux J, ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2021 Feb 13 5 5945-5954

Microbubbles Cloaked with Hydrogels as Activatable Ultrasound Contrast Agents.

Burns MWN, Mattrey RF, Lux J, ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2020 Nov 12 47 52298-52306

Bubble Inflation Using Phase-Change Perfluorocarbon Nanodroplets as a Strategy for Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging and Therapy.

Brambila CJ, Lux J, Mattrey RF, Boyd D, Borden MA, de Gracia Lux C, Langmuir 2020 03 36 11 2954-2965

Catalase-Containing Silica Particles as Ultrasound-Based Hydrogen Peroxide Sensors to Determine Infected From Noninfected Fluid Collections in Humans.

Malone CD, Fetzer DT, Lux J, Mattrey RF, AJR Am J Roentgenol 2019 Jul 213 1 W9-W16

Thrombin-Activatable Microbubbles as Potential Ultrasound Contrast Agents for the Detection of Acute Thrombosis.

Lux J, Vezeridis AM, Hoyt K, Adams SR, Armstrong AM, Sirsi SR, Mattrey RF ACS Appl Mater Interfaces 2017 Nov 9 43 37587-37596

Distinct ON/OFF fluorescence signals from dual-responsive activatable nanoprobes allows detection of inflammation with improved contrast.

Viger ML, Collet G, Lux J, Nguyen Huu VA, Guma M, Foucault-Collet A, Olejniczak J, Joshi-Barr S, Firestein GS, Almutairi A Biomaterials 2017 Mar 133 119-131

Malachite green derivatives for two-photon RNA detection.

Lux J, Peña EJ, Bolze F, Heinlein M, Nicoud JF Chembiochem 2012 May 13 8 1206-13

Fluorous-phase iron oxide nanoparticles as enhancers of acoustic droplet vaporization of perfluorocarbons with supra-physiologic boiling point.

Vezeridis AM, de Gracia Lux C, Barnhill SA, Kim S, Wu Z, Jin S, Lux J, Gianneschi NC, Mattrey RF, J Control Release 2019 May 302 54-62

Advances in gadolinium-based MRI contrast agent designs for monitoring biological processes in vivo.

Lux J, Sherry AD Curr Opin Chem Biol 2018 May 45 121-130

• 2017 Docstars Award presented by the Cary Council
  In recognition and support of promising early-stage research (2017)