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- Electroconductive Microgels for Tissue Regeneration
Figure 1. Cactus Mucilage Nanofibers
2. Regenerative Processes
2. Regenerative Processes
Processes such as issue scaffolding and would healing, continue to impact the quality of life for patients suffering from trauma, surgeries, flesh eating disease, or other health issues. The PIs have been studying biodegradable polymers/biopolymer composites, with plant based polysaccharides (Figure 1), to fabricate tailor-made platforms/membranes using the cost-effective process of electrospinning to overcome obstacles with scaffold-based regeneration.
Project: The IRES scholar will find optimum parameters for the development of platforms for functional devices (i.e. fibers, fiber assemblies, nanoparticle composites, microcapsules, etc.) for biomedical use. The project will involve the use of electro-fluid-dynamic technologies (EFDTs) i.e. process technologies supported by the application of a high voltage electric field onto polymer solutions, e.g. electrospinning in PIs Thomas and Guarino labs. A main scope of this activity will consist of manipulating selected materials (i.e., commercial or synthesized polymers, solvents, additives, molecules) for the design of smart devices for tissue engineering. IRES scholars will use SEM and TEM investigations to correlate morphological properties to operational parameters (i.e., voltage, flow rate, needle diameter), while image analyses will be optimized to calculate characteristic sizes. Skills in materials/polymer science will be considered a prerequisite to complete requested activities. Electroactive fibers will be fabricated by combining biocompatible polymers (i.e. Polycaprolactone, Polylactide, Polyvinyl alcohol), proteins (i.e., Zein, Gelatin), and conductive polymers (i.e. Polyaniline, BBL, PEDOT, P3HT). Tailored configuration setups will be investigated to improve selected properties of fibers (i.e., phase percolation, morphology, conductivity, and biocompatibility) for bio applications, such as cell culturing and tissue scaffolding.
3. Electroactive smart biomaterials
3. Electroactive smart biomaterials
They are capable of responding to electrical impulses, can trigger cell proliferation and adhesion for the acceleration of organ, bone, and muscle regeneration. The PIs have been conducting investigations on the bio capability of conjugated polymers and conductive polymers, such as polyethylene glycol (PEG)/polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS), respectively, by evaluating cell viability with these biomaterials.
Project: The IRES scholar will identify additional biocompatible, conductive and/or biodegradable polymers and define the chemical/physical material characteristics for their use as electroactive smart materials. These obtained materials are expected to have a conductivity between 10-3 10-7 mS. The resulting biomaterials, based on biocompatible conductive and/or biodegradable polymers (from natural or synthetic source), will be properly characterized by IRES scholar to evaluate the physicochemical properties more suitable for the use of electro-fluid-dynamic technologies, e.g. electrospinning, electrospraying. Skills in synthesizing solutions will be considered an advantage in accomplishing the requested activities. The progression of these electroactive materials will assist in the avoidance of bacteria adhesion or accumulation of surface biofilm, which hinder regenerative processes. Design of electroactive micron/submicron scaled devices for molecular delivery via electro fluid dynamics (EFDTs). Electrospinning and electrospraying techniques will be used to manipulate biomaterials to design electroactive devices using hydrogel-like materials (i.e., polysaccharides), synthesized or commercialized conductive polymers and inorganic conductive materials (i.e., graphene) as nanochannels.
Figure 2. Triaxial Drug Delivery
4. Different polymers/nanostructure configurations for drug delivery systems
4. Different polymers/nanostructure configurations for drug delivery systems
Different polymers and nanostructure configurations, such as multiaxial nanofibers with certain characteristics useful for developing sustained drug-delivery systems, can be advantageous for prolonging the duration of drug activity, improving therapeutic efficiency and reducing side effects. Nanofiber membranes of biocompatible 2D-3D core/shell polymer mats will be investigated to play an active role in channels and matrices for drug delivery.
Project: IRES scholars will implement electro-fluid-dynamic technologies to fabricate micro and/or nano-devices, perform physicochemical characteristics of raw materials, and investigate properties of functional devices by the use of basic equipment (i.e., DSC, TGA, IR, etc). These characteristics will impact the current investigations to obtain significant information for the rational design and production of drug loaded micro and/or nano-devices. Core material micelle polymers loaded with anticancer drugs and surrounded by dissolvable polymeric shells with antibodies will be studied to control delivery of various biochemical agents for "SMART" drug delivery for cancer treatment (Figure 2). The release behavior varies considerably from one system to another, depending on the polymer features (nature, molecular weight, degradability and microstructure), on the physicochemical properties of the drug (molecular weight, solubility in water and in polymer), on the device characteristics (size and shape) and on the environmental conditions (pH and temperature of the surrounding medium). Therefore, drug loading and release will be studied, taking into account different environmental conditions according to the application field by using UV-Vis and IR spectroscopy. Skills in cell culturing will be considered an advantage. Scholars will receive refresher training on equipment needed to complete these tasks, i.e. electrospinning and characterization techniques.
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