Smart And Neuromorfic Biointerfacing Systems
Contact person: Erokhin Victor
Biomedicine: smart containers, personalized medical treatment

 

SEM images of alginate/chitosan sodium capsules
SEM images of alginate/chitosan sodium capsules

This activity is connected to the realization of smart containers, allowing targeted delivery and induced release of pharmaceutical preparations to the diseased zones or to risk areas of the body. Ideally, the release of the pharmaceutical agents in the case when the disease occurs. If it is impossible, an external triggering can be done telematically by the physician, after the patient request and/or readings from sensors systems.

Our group does not work on the fabrication of active pharmaceutical preparations, but on the realization of smart containers for their targeted delivery and induced release. All therapies have collateral undesirable effects on the patient. Therefore, ideal container must deliver an active substance to the diseased area or zone of risk and the release must be done when it is necessary. Ideally, the disease symptoms must trigger the release. In some cases, it is possible, as the disease is accompanied by the variation of local pH and/or biochemical composition of the adjacent media. When it is not the case, an external triggering of the release must be done, what can be performed by UV, IR or visible light illumination, microwave irradiation, ultrasound, etc.

Reconstructed images of 5-μm NPC loaded by 50-nm gold nanoparticles in liquid medium
Reconstructed images of 5-μm NPC loaded by 50-nm gold nanoparticles in liquid medium

Our activities are focused in the realization of smart micro- and nano-capsules, where the total core area can be filled by the active substance, and the shell architecture is done in such a way, that it allows targeted delivery (rough targeting is done with external magnet when magnetic nanoparticles are incorporated into the shell, fine targeting is done by receptors and/or antibodies, immobilized at the shell surface) and the release, using above mentioned mechanisms.

 

For some specific cases (prosthesis, post-operative pain therapy) it is not necessary to have floating containers, as the therapy zones are well defined. In these cases, it is better to use immobilized micro-chambers, loaded with active agents. In the past it has been demonstrated the possibility of the induced release from these objects using light illumination, what can be difficult in the case of implants, inserted into deep areas of the body. In our group we have developed a technique of the electrical release of active molecules from such chambers.

 

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