Xcycles

Gene editing offers transformative potential for therapy, but current delivery systems, e.g., viral vectors, lack efficiency and targeting precision in complex tissues. Xcycles is developing a microfluidic platform to generate bioinspired, patient-derived nanovesicles for precise and personalized delivery of gene-editing tools. By engineering vesicle assembly and native membrane interactions, this approach enables targeted, organ-specific therapy with reduced side effects and scalable clinical potential.

Bioinspired Nanovesicles

Vision
Xcycles advances precision gene delivery by formulating programmable, bioinspired, patient-derived nanovesicles, enabling safe, efficient, and organ-specific gene-editing therapies via scalable, translatable microfluidic platforms.

Challenges
Current gene editing approaches are inefficient, non-specific, and associated with immune and cytotoxic effects; limited control over nanocarrier composition and cargo loading; barriers imposed by complex tissue microenvironments; off-target effects, and the lack of scalable, reproducible manufacturing workflows for personalized therapies.

Solutions
Xcycles uses a scalable microfluidic platform to convert primary cells into bioinspired nanovesicles with controlled assembly, efficient cargo loading, and preserved targeting functionality. By integrating physics-guided vesicle formation with native membrane interactions, the point-of-need platform enables personalized, organ-specific gene delivery with reduced off-target effects.

Positions

Master's thesis

Master's degree students are highly encouraged to contact Dr. Kafshgari for further information on research projects and thesis topics.

PhD positions

There is currently no funded PhD position available.

Funding opportunities for PhD students: DAAD PhD Scholarships, Studienstiftung, Fulbright fellowship (US students), and China Scholarship Council (CSC) program (Chinese students)