Mattias Halloran

Contact

Location
St. Paul, Minnesota

Hi, I’m Mattias.

I’m interested in pharmacology and neuroscience, especially in the development of “smart” or targeted medicines.

My independent research focuses on nanoparticles designed to respond to brain bleeding and release time-sensitive drugs at the site of injury. The work received Minnesota’s highest science award at the 2026 MN Science Fair. I’ve also worked on a low-cost test for counterfeit Ozempic and, at the University of Minnesota, on studies of opioid addiction after mild traumatic brain injury and stem-cell treatments for anxiety after repeated brain injuries.

I’m a senior at St. Paul Academy and Summit School in St. Paul, Minnesota. I’m on the varsity swim team, compete in Public Forum debate, and help lead my school’s work around how students use AI. I also volunteer at a local robotics summer camp!

I can be contacted at matihalloran@gmail.com, or

Contact

Location
St. Paul, Minnesota
.
Research
Mattias standing by the ocean
Mattias working at a laboratory bench
Mattias preparing for a swim race

Research

Visual summary of Mattias’s hemin-activated lipid nanoparticle project

Development of Hemin-Activated Lipid Nanoparticles for Targeted Hemopexin Drug Delivery in Hemorrhagic Stroke

Intracerebral hemorrhage is bleeding directly into the brain, and pretty much no treatment exists: no drug therapies are approved, and only ~3% of patients qualify for surgery. Hemopexin can reduce brain damage by nearly 50%, but giving it too early can increase neuronal death by up to twelvefold. I developed nanoparticles designed to remain closed during that early window and release Hemopexin only when it is safe and effective to do so. The optimized formulation released nearly five times as much cargo in hemin-rich conditions while remaining stable under early-stroke conditions.

This independent project received Gold Grand Award – Minnesota’s highest science award, reserved for the top 5% of projects. It also received the 3M Young Inventor Recognition, including an invitation to present to scientists at 3M Global Headquarters, and the Dr. Victor Bedros Memorial Award for Excellence in Medical Sciences, which was awarded to three projects at the Twin Cities Regional Science Fair.

Watch the 2026 Minnesota State presentation ↗

Development of a Low-Cost MAAH-TLC Protocol for Identity Confirmation of Lipidated Peptide Pharmaceuticals in Low-Resource Environments

This project used microwave-assisted acid hydrolysis and thin-layer chromatography to compare authentic semaglutide with counterfeit and insulin-adulterated samples. The method was developed for basic laboratory equipment and existing field drug-testing kits.

Opioid Addiction Following mTBI and Stem-Cell Intervention for Repeated-mTBI-Induced Anxiety

At the Guedes Lab at the University of Minnesota, I work on rat studies of opioid addiction after mild traumatic brain injury and stem-cell intervention for anxiety after repeated mTBI.