Posted November 19, 2025 by Dan Moser
Janos Zempleni, Willa Cather Professor of molecular nutrition, delivered the Nov. 12 Nebraska Lecture, “The Little Particle That Could: Milk Exosomes.”
His talk traced the origins and evolution of his pioneering research using designer milk exosomes to improve human health.
With an audience of nearly 100, Zempleni discussed his efforts to use natural nanoparticles from milk to transport various types of cargo – therapeutics, gene editors, plasmids and more – to targeted areas in the body.
Zempleni’s innovative strategy recently earned him a Phase 3a win in the National Institutes of Health’s Targeted Genome Editor Delivery Challenge, placing Nebraska in an elite group of research institutions and highlighting the potential for breakthroughs at the intersection of biomedical science and agriculture.
Zempleni’s technology is flexible enough to treat both common and rare diseases. During the Q&A, Zempleni said meeting families affected by rare diseases motivates his work.
“You see all these little kids, and you can tell they’re not doing well,” said Zempleni, Willa Cather Professor of nutrition and health sciences. “You see it with your own eyes: This is something worthwhile doing.”
