Objective
This partnership has been created to address the critically poor efficacy of existing treatment strategies to treat lung disease, a major health problem in the EU. The project will research and develop a novel process involving electrospray to deliver biomolecule-based drugs into cells. The action requires intersectorial collaboration between partners with complementary expertise in biological drug delivery, mechanical and manufacturing engineering and microfluidics technologies. The problem will be tackled by researching the parameters that influence electrospray generation and its ability to successfully deliver active biomolecules into cells. The term ‘electrospray’ refers to the process where electrical charges are provided to a fluid in order to generate a very fine spray of the fluid. Applications of electrospray technology include mass spectrometry, chemical deposition and colloid thrusters. Recently, the process has been applied to areas of biology such as protein mass spectrometry, depositing biological material during tissue engineering and the production of protein microarrays. However, the fundamental parameters underlying electrospray formation are poorly understood, limiting full exploitation of the potential of this phenomenon. We have developed a novel electrospray system which we have successfully used to demonstrate a novel application of delivering biological molecules into cells such that they remain functional within the cell. This technology holds substantial potential as a novel drug delivery method. In this interdisciplinary action, we aim to increase understanding of the physical processes involved in electrospray generation, to develop the technology and to determine its potential to deliver of a wide range of biological molecules into cells. The project will significantly advance the area of electrospray-mediated drug delivery with major relevance for pharmaceutical/drug delivery/medical device companies, patients and clinicians in the EU.
Fields of science
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesclassical mechanicsfluid mechanicsmicrofluidics
- engineering and technologymechanical engineeringmanufacturing engineering
- natural sciencesphysical sciencescondensed matter physicssoft matter physics
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteins
- natural scienceschemical sciencesanalytical chemistrymass spectrometry
Call for proposal
FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IAPP
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
MC-IAPP - Industry-Academia Partnerships and Pathways (IAPP)Coordinator
W23 Maynooth
Ireland