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3. Nanoimprint Fabrication of Stimuli-responsive Drug Delivery Carriers
Graduate Student Researchers: Luz Cristal S. Glangchai, Mary C. Moore
Collaboration:
Sponsors: National Institute of Health; National Science Foundation; Charles W. Tate & Judy Spence Tate Charitable Foundation through UT Center for Biomedical Engineering
Project Status: Current
The objective of this research is to fabricate functional three dimensional nanostructures for tissue targeted drug delivery. The approach is to use top-down nanofabrication technology, specifically step and flash nanoimprinting and thermal nanoimprint lithography, coupled with rational polymer chemistry to develop monodisperse, injectable nanocarriers with precise size and shape that can release drug in response to specific disease-associated signals. The results could not only provide new directions in fabricating drug delivery vehicles with disease-responsive properties, but would also explore the fundamental limitations and practical capabilities of generating complex nanostructures with imprint techniques. If successful, this would eventually lead to the next generation of disease-specific and highly effective therapeutics and also provide novel biomedical applications for nanoimprint lithography. The project is inherently interdisciplinary involving biomedical engineering and mechanical/nano-manufacturing engineering. This provides a unique and rewarding educational environment for the graduate students involved. In addition, the results and concepts developed here would directly benefit several graduate and undergraduate courses by correlating nanoscale science and engineering with real-life biomedical applications.
2. Micro-flow Cytometers based on Dielectrophoretic Particle Focusing
Graduate Student Researcher: Choongho Yu
Collaboration: Prof. Peter Gascoyne, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center
Sponsor: Whitaker Foundation through UT Center for Biomedical Engineering
Project
Status: Completed
Flow cytometry is an important and powerful method for cell analysis that finds wide use in bioindustrial, research and clinical diagnostic applications. Unfortunately, conventional cytometers are very large and expensive devices of considerable complexity that require operation by skilled technicians. The goal of this work is to realize a much simpler type of flow cytometer based on dielectrophoretic particle focusing that will provide proof of concept for microcytometers that are inexpensive, trivial to operate, and suitable for use in both stand-alone analysis and for in-line control applications as part of unattended instruments. The focusing capability of the microcytometer has been demonstrated for micro beads and human leukemia cells. We are currently developing integrated sensing mechanisms based on impedance and optical detection.
Power Point Presentation (open directly in your browser to run the video clip).
1. Integration of Metal Oxide Nanowires for Sensor Systems
Graduate Student Researcher: Choongho Yu
Collaboration: Prof. Z. L. Wang, Georgia Institute of Technology
Sponsor: UT Research Grant Program
Project Status: Completed
The electrical properties of single-crystal metal oxide nanowires/nanobelts are highly sensitive to gas species due to the high surface-to-volume ratio. This project aims to develop methods for the integration of functionalized metal oxide nanobelts for sensor systems. We have demonstrated nanobelt-MEMS sensors that can detect a nerve agent simulant at a concentration of the low parts per billion (ppb) level and are free from sensor poisoning.
