Speaker
Description
Ultrafast laser fabrication offers a flexible way to produce three-dimensional microstructures with well-defined geometries and functionalities. Our work focuses on hybrid organic-inorganic photoresists as materials for biomedical microdevices, particularly for localized drug delivery1.
Dexamethasone is incorporated into the photoresist as a model drug, allowing its inclusion directly within the polymeric matrix during fabrication. The structures obtained are characterized by optical and confocal microscopy to evaluate their morphology, structural fidelity, and response to different development conditions. Our preliminary observations show that both drug loading and post-processing have a strong influence on the final structures. Development conditions must therefore be carefully selected: overly aggressive treatments can damage the microstructures, whereas milder conditions may not completely remove the unpolymerized material.
In parallel, we are starting to explore the design of microneedle-based systems for ocular drug administration2. This work combines preliminary numerical models of microneedle insertion into the cornea with drug-diffusion simulations for timolol and dexamethasone. The aim is to study how parameters such as tip angle, cross-section, and insertion depth affect mechanical penetration and drug release into the corneal tissue.
By combining laser fabrication, material functionalization, structural characterization, and numerical modelling, this work seeks to contribute to the development of customized microdevices for localized therapies.
References
1 Jing, X.; Mi, H.-Y.; Salick, M. R.; et al. Two-photon polymerization for 3D biomedical scaffolds: Overview and updates. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 2022, 10, 994355. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2022.994355
2 Thakur, R. R. S.; Tekko, I. A.; Al-Shamkhi, A.; et al. Rapidly dissolving polymeric microneedles for minimally invasive intraocular drug delivery. Drug Delivery and Translational Research 2016, 6, 800–815. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13346-016-0332-9