Our lab has been investigating how polymers and colloids can be used to transport drugs to lymph nodes to treat autoimmune diseases using an ‘inverse vaccine’ paradigm. Extending historical concepts used to develop vaccines, we are exploring how polymer or colloid physicochemical properties may be used to reverse autoimmunity. The lab has found that certain molecular weights of polymers facilitate transport of antigens from the injection site to lymph nodes while avoiding leakage to the blood pool. When such polymers are used to carry and simultaneously co-deliver an antigen and an immunosuppressant, mice with multiple sclerosis are cured of the disease. Now, our lab aims to systematically elucidate the effect of fundamental properties such as polymer size, charge, and density of grafted antigen on the immune response in mice. Controlling polymer features affects placement of drugs (transport) and the patterns recognized by the immune system (valency), two important parameters for reversing autoimmune diseases.