Considering that skin is the most extensive organ in the human body, it comes as no surprise that it is so heavily involved in regulating and mediating most biological functions, such as providing a p..
Considering that skin is the most extensive organ in the human body, it comes as no surprise that it is so heavily involved in regulating and mediating most biological functions, such as providing a protective barrier against mechanical, thermal, and physical injury, regulating temperature and water balance, perceiving sensory information, and aiding the immune response to infections or other hazardous agents. For this research project, a particular interest is the skin’s potential as a drug delivery system, which can be optimized using smart technologies (e.g., medicated patches, wound dressings, and hydrogels). In fact, the delivery of drugs through the skin provides a convenient route of administration that is both non-invasive and self-administrable, and thus preferable to injections. Not only does this significantly reduce medical complications, but it also promotes patient compliance and the completion of treatment. By pairing the skin’s role as a drug delivery system with smart bio-inspired technologies, such as nanoengineering and 3-D printing, there is a wide range of potential biomedical applications. With the aim of advancing the field of wound-healing and personalized medicine, this research project was designed to test and optimize the synthesis of a PLGA/DMSO gel loaded with quercetin, a controlled-release drug. Trials allowed the identification of optimal PLGA types (85:15 and 90:10 PLGA, high molecular) for freezing and 3D-printing. These tests will inform a subsequent Ignite 22/23 project, which will 3D-print the PLGA/DMSO gel to fabricate wound-healing patches.
