Madeline Drake
Pronouns: she/her
Research Mentor(s): Michael Gurin
Research Mentor School/College/Department: / NonUM
Program: UROP
Session: Session 4 (1:40pm – 2:30pm)
Authors: Alec Waples-Dexter, Varun Tahlan, Madeline Drake
Abstract
Multiphasic nanoparticles have the ability to specifically target cells, and behave differently depending on where they are within the body. One application of these is carrying ketamine more efficiently across dermal layers, and another is being able to more precisely target cancer cells throughout the body. The current methods for these are very wasteful and imprecise, and multiphasic nanoparticles could improve this drastically. The goal of my project is to take a process for constructing these multiphasic polymeric nanoparticles that can be performed in a clean lab environment and modify it such that it can be done en masse and in a reliable and safe manner. The primary challenge comes from finding a way to produce a flexible substrate that can be used to translate this process to a roll to roll system, and we are analyzing a few proposed methods of doing this to provide a proof of concept for how this technology could be scaled up. Our current method intends to use a roll to roll system that can continually produce nano-particles on a large scale. The film is an omniphobic material, which is then modified to create philic islands. When a polymer saturated solution is applied and removed, followed by drying the solvent off, a layer of the polymer 50-100 microns thick is formed on each philic spot. This layering can be repeated until a full nano-particle is formed, followed by the bottom layer being dissolved to free the particles into a solution. We are currently testing two different materials/methods in order to find an optimal material and method of patterning to maximize the difference in surface energy between the phobic and philic parts of the surface. One technique uses a teflon film, with chemically etched spots to increase their philicity. The other technique uses one of Hygratek’s coatings, instead utilizing laser etching to create the philic islands. We hope to find that both of these methods are viable, and if so, which is more efficient. I will also be working to further develop methodologies and potential solutions to this problem.
