#GDTBATH: Brianna Vickerman
The Eshelman Innovation assistant professor uses light activation to dose drugs more precisely.
As a postdoctoral researcher at UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Brianna Vickerman ’21 (PhD) co-invented a light-activated drug-delivery technology to better control therapeutics in the body.
Vickerman worked in the lab of her research adviser, David Lawrence, a position funded by a two-year grant from Eshelman Innovation. Then in 2023, Eshelman Innovation hired Vickerman and created the Light Activated Therapeutics Program to move this technology towards translation to the clinics.
“I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this without it,” Vickerman said. “It’s been incredible to see the overall support and championing of these technologies to move this forward.”
Vickerman’s groundbreaking research earned her a spot on the 2025 Forbes 30 Under 30 list, in the science category.
“I’ve been feeling incredibly grateful ever since hearing the news. I’m fortunate to have phenomenal mentors, colleagues and environments that have championed me,” said Vickerman. “I am happy to share this recognition with them because I wouldn’t have been able to have this honor without all their support.”
Drive to change lives
Now an assistant professor at Eshelman Innovation, Vickerman said she always wanted to change lives. During an internship in research and development at a medical device company, she saw that she could help patients live healthier lives through medicine and biotechnology.
“It was impactful to see that every day people are working to improve the health of patients,” said Vickerman. “They’re providing lifesaving therapies, which was motivating for me.”
As a doctoral chemistry student and at Eshelman Innovation, she saw numerous labs conducting research that would allow her to make the influence she desired. She co-founded Nucleate, a collaboration among Carolina, Duke University and NC State University that allows students to move their technologies forward to commercialization, clinic or biotechnology company use.
One of those technologies was the light-activated system that Vickerman helped develop to make drug delivery more precise.
Targeted treatment
Typically, when drugs are given to patients, they travel throughout the entire body, not just to the diseased tissue. That means higher dosages are required for effective symptom management and that other, healthy tissues also absorb the drug, which can cause side effects.
Vickerman’s groundbreaking research centers around a localized drug administration process that uses wavelength-specific light. Wavelengths are tailored to specific issues or diseases, and the platform allows providers to precisely control the location, timing and dosing of a drug. The drugs are activated with light on the targeted area.
By focusing on the affected part of the body, this system can improve effectiveness, minimize side effects, reduce dose frequency and protect healthy tissues.
Vickerman is now working with preclinical models, using a device similar to a laser pointer with a low dose of light to target affected areas with medication. Her research currently focuses on blood clot treatment, by targeting therapeutic proteins at the clot site with light. The treatment has been shown to restore blood flow at a dose 25 times lower than a dose given systemically.
She is also interested in using the technology with cancer patients, as the side effects of cancer treatments often cause them to feel sick. With targeted drugs in use at clinics, she hopes this technology enables noninvasive surgeries and more tolerable treatments.
Working toward something that can help patients motivates Vickerman. “The driving forces are the possibility of being able to help patients have healthier lives and creating these lifesaving therapies,” she said.
