An implantable soft robotic platform for enhanced drug delivery

Tuesday, March 8, 2022
11 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. EST
>>Register for this Zoom webinar.

Debkalpa Goswami, Postdoctoral Associate
Institute for Medical Engineering & Science (IMES)

Fibrous capsule formation, and its effect on molecular transport, can be detrimental to the long-term efficacy of implantable drug delivery devices, especially when precise spatial and temporal control is necessary for safe and effective therapy delivery. In this talk, Dr. Goswami will describe an implantable platform which can overcome the diffusional barrier of the fibrous capsule to achieve enhanced transport of small and macromolecular therapy using multiple synergistic soft robotic strategies.

Using this platform, small amplitude dynamic actuation (preconditioning) applied to subcutaneous tissue in mice leads to a downstream functional effect: enhanced passive transport of insulin (a model macromolecule) and glycemic control. Furthermore, rapid actuation of the platform at the time of drug delivery can accelerate transport via convective fluid flow and overcome diffusional limitations caused by the fibrous capsule.

This soft actuatable platform has potential clinical utility for mediating and overcoming the host fibrotic response, leading to enhanced delivery of drug therapy for a variety of indications, such as diabetes.

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