BME Master's Defense Announcement for Siting Zhang (L. Solorio, advisor)

Everyone is welcome to attend the public presentation beginning at 11:00am.

Title: A Thermally Responsive Osmotic Pump Drug Delivery System for in-vivo Targeting for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Date: Monday, April 15^th

Time: 11:00 AM

Location: DLR 131

Zoom link: https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/92132903950

Committee:

Luis Solorio, PhD (Chair)

Craig J. Goergen, PhD

David J. Cappelleri, PhD

Abstract:

Approximately 2.39 million Americans suffer from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), an autoimmune disorder that is characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Current treatment options for IBD, which are limited, include oral medications, surgery, and supportive care. These therapeutics often times are not effective and are associated with high toxicity. Thus, there is a pressing clinical need for a therapy that can be delivered both locally and precisely, while also having an improvement in efficacy and lower toxicity.

This study introduces three novel microrobot designs fabricated using stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing, which aims to address the challenges seen in IBD treatment. The microrobots utilize a reservoir design to encapsulate the drug for an on-demand release, allowing for improved control and precision. The SLA microrobots were evaluated for cytotoxicity as well as drug release capabilities in a multitude of variabilities. While the microrobots exhibited acute toxicity at 24 hours, they demonstrated much higher cell viability in 48 hours. Initial, proof-of-concept drug release experiments using blue food dye and paraffin wax that melted at 70 °C demonstrated varying release profiles for the different microrobot designs, with no statistical difference between all three designs. Finally, a thermally sensitive wax cap was introduced where mineral oil was combined with the paraffin wax to control the drug release, demonstrating its potential for on-demand, localized delivery, where promising results show statistically significant results in two out of the three microrobot designs.

The results in this study are a progression for future research in developing targeted and effective drug delivery systems for IBD treatment using microrobot-based systems. Future work includes the optimization of materials and methodology, along with in vivo studies, to further improve the progression of osmotic pump microrobots for drug delivery. The integration of microrobots in IBD therapy has the capability to significantly improve patient outcomes and quality of life, offering a more efficient and less toxic treatment approach.