Exosome-Based Cancer Therapy: RNA Cargo, Tumor Microenvironment & Targeted Drug Delivery
From Tumor-Derived Extracellular Vesicles to RNA-Based Therapeutics and Precision Drug Delivery
About This Course
This 3-day hands-on workshop explores the emerging role of exosomes and extracellular vesicles (EVs) in cancer therapy, focusing on RNA cargo, tumor microenvironment interactions, and targeted drug delivery.
Participants will learn how tumor-derived extracellular vesicles influence cancer progression, immune regulation, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance. Using real-world research datasets and computational tools such as ExoCarta, Vesiclepedia, miRNet, and Cytoscape, participants will explore exosomal RNA cargo, analyze miRNA–gene interactions, investigate cancer signaling pathways, and develop a conceptual exosome-based RNA therapeutic delivery strategy.
The workshop integrates molecular oncology, RNA bioinformatics, cancer biology, and nanomedicine, providing practical exposure to emerging approaches in precision cancer therapeutics.
Aim
To equip participants with practical knowledge and computational skills in extracellular vesicle biology, exosomal RNA cargo analysis, tumor microenvironment interactions, and the research-driven design of targeted exosome-based cancer therapeutics.
Workshop Objectives
- Understand exosome biogenesis, molecular composition, and their roles in cancer progression and intercellular communication.
- Explore tumor-derived extracellular vesicles and their involvement in the tumor microenvironment, metastasis, and drug resistance.
- Identify and analyze EV-associated miRNAs and proteins using publicly available molecular databases.
- Investigate miRNA–target gene interactions and cancer-related signaling pathways using bioinformatics tools.
- Understand exosome engineering, therapeutic RNA cargo loading, and tumor-targeted drug delivery strategies.
- Develop a conceptual exosome-mediated RNA therapeutic strategy using molecular analysis and published research evidence.
Workshop Structure
DAY 1: Exosome Biology, Tumor-Derived EVs & RNA Cargo Profiling
- Fundamentals of exosomes, extracellular vesicles, and EV biogenesis.
- Exosome secretion, cellular uptake, and intercellular communication.
- Molecular cargo: miRNA, mRNA, lncRNA, proteins, and lipids.
- Tumor-associated EVs in cancer progression, invasion, and metastasis.
- EV isolation and characterization: NTA, TEM, CD9, CD63, and CD81.
- Introduction to extracellular vesicle research standards (MISEV2023).
Hands-On: Exploring Cancer-Associated EV Cargo
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- Explore EV-associated RNA, proteins, and tumor-derived molecular cargo using ExoCarta and Vesiclepedia, and access cancer EV-miRNA datasets from NCBI GEO. Identify cancer-associated miRNAs using mentor-prepared data and curate RNA candidates for downstream analysis.
Tools: ExoCarta, Vesiclepedia, NCBI GEO, Excel/Google Sheets.
DAY 2: Exosomal RNA, Tumor Microenvironment & Cancer Signaling Networks
- Roles of EV-associated miRNAs in cancer-related gene regulation.
- Tumor microenvironment interactions: cancer-associated fibroblasts, macrophages, and immune cells.
- EV-associated signaling in angiogenesis, immune evasion, and therapeutic resistance.
- miRNA–mRNA interactions and cancer-associated regulatory networks.
- Exploration of PI3K–AKT, TGF-β, and other relevant cancer signaling pathways.
- Molecular network interpretation and research-target prioritization.
Hands-On: miRNA–Gene Interaction and Pathway Analysis
- Analyze EV-associated miRNAs using miRNet to identify predicted and validated miRNA–gene interactions and enriched cancer pathways. Visualize networks in Cytoscape and prioritize potential therapeutic targets.
Tools: miRNet, Cytoscape, curated EV-miRNA dataset.
DAY 3: Exosome Engineering, RNA Therapeutics & Targeted Cancer Drug Delivery
- Extracellular vesicles as investigational nanocarriers for cancer therapy.
- EV source selection and characteristics of potential therapeutic carriers.
- Therapeutic RNA cargo: siRNA, miRNA mimics, and miRNA inhibitors.
- Overview of RNA loading approaches and their limitations.
- EV surface engineering and tumor-targeting strategies.
- Cellular uptake, intracellular delivery, and endosomal escape.
- Delivery challenges: stability, biodistribution, targeting specificity, and safety.
- Translational considerations, manufacturing reproducibility, and future clinical applications.
Hands-On: Designing an Exosome-Based Targeted Therapeutic Strategy
- Select a cancer-associated target and evidence-based RNA cargo, compare EV sources and delivery strategies, and design a targeted RNA delivery workflow. Develop a therapeutic design matrix, define validation measures, and evaluate the proposed strategy’s limitations.
Tools: miRNet, Cytoscape, published research datasets, therapeutic design templates.
Who Should Enrol?
- Students: Undergraduate, postgraduate, MSc, MTech, and PhD students in Biotechnology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Bioinformatics, Nanotechnology, and Life Sciences.
- Researchers: Research scholars, postdoctoral fellows, and scientists working in Cancer Biology, Molecular Oncology, Extracellular Vesicles, and RNA Therapeutics.
- Healthcare & Biomedical Professionals: Professionals interested in molecular cancer research, precision medicine, and emerging therapeutic delivery technologies.
- Pharmaceutical & Biotech Professionals: R&D professionals exploring nanomedicine, targeted drug delivery, and RNA-based therapeutics.
- Faculty & Academicians: Educators seeking practical exposure to computational extracellular vesicle analysis and advanced cancer therapeutic research.
Important Dates
Registration Ends
October 30, 2026
IST 4:30 PM
Workshop Dates
October 30, 2026 – November 2, 2026
IST 5:00 PM
Workshop Outcomes
- Explain the biological functions of extracellular vesicles and their significance in cancer biology.
- Retrieve and explore cancer-associated EV RNA and protein data using ExoCarta and Vesiclepedia.
- Identify candidate exosomal miRNAs and analyze their potential roles in cancer-associated molecular pathways.
- Construct and interpret miRNA–gene interaction networks using miRNet and Cytoscape.
- Evaluate emerging exosome-based RNA delivery and tumor-targeting approaches.
- Design a preliminary exosome-mediated cancer therapeutic research workflow, including target selection, RNA cargo prioritization, and validation considerations.
Fee Structure
Student Fee
₹2499 | $65
Ph.D. Scholar / Researcher Fee
₹3499 | $75
Academician / Faculty Fee
₹4499 | $85
Industry Professional Fee
₹5499 | $105
What You’ll Gain
- Live & recorded sessions
- e-Certificate upon completion
- Post-workshop query support
- Hands-on learning experience
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