Overview

Encapsulated microbubbles (MBs) are gaseous colloidal particles, coated with surfactants, polymers, lipids, proteins or other bio-compatible materials. The compressible gaseous core of microbubbles can expand and contract in response to ultrasound. The acoustic backscatter from microbubbles can be used to enhance contrast between the blood vessels and solid tissue. In addition to ultrasonic imaging, microbubbles are being explored used for delivery of drugs, genes, and bioactive gases.

This workshop will focus on the design and engineering of microbubbles for biomedical applications, such as ultrasonic imaging and drug delivery. Methods of microbubble synthesis, techniques for microbubble characterization, and issues related to microbubble stability and biocompatibility will be discussed. The use of ultrasound and microbubbles for therapeutic applications, such as sonoporation, drug-delivery, clot lysis, and opening the blood-brain barrier will also be discussed. In addition to lectures, participants will also be exposed to laboratory sessions focused on microbubble synthesis and characterization.