Microfluidic Device for Liposome Formation
Format
SOECS Senior Project Demonstration
Faculty Mentor Name
Shelly Gulati
Faculty Mentor Department
Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Computer Science
Additional Faculty Mentor Name
Jeffrey Burmeister
Additional Faculty Mentor Department
Department of Bioengineering, School of Engineering and Computer Science
Additional Faculty Mentor Name
Xin Guo
Additional Faculty Mentor Department
Department of Pharmaceutics and Medicinal Chemistry, Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy
Graduate Student Mentor Name
Zizhao Xu
Graduate Student Mentor Department
Department of Pharmaceutics and Medicinal Chemistry, Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy
Abstract/Artist Statement
In recent years, much research has focused on investigating new methods of drug delivery. One of these includes encapsulating drug particles in lipid vesicles, more commonly referred to as liposomes. Various methods exist of synthesizing liposomes such as injection of lipids dissolved in an ethanol solution into an aqueous environment. This particular method of synthesizing liposomes, while still successful, can result in variability with respect to the size of the vesicles produced. The focus of this project was to create a microfluidic device for a client in the Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy to aid in his liposome research. The device adapts the ethanol injection method to a microscale platform to allow for a greater degree of control over the size of the formed vesicles, resulting in greater uniformity. This device is designed to allow the mixing and dilution of an ethanol solution with an aqueous one, which will allow the lipid components to precipitate out of solution and self-assemble into vesicles. The device was designed using a computer-aided design software called SolidWorks. Fluid dynamic modeling was carried out using a finite-element analysis program called COMSOL Multiphysics to predict how the device would operate under laminar flow conditions and how well ethanol would dissolve into the aqueous solution. COMSOL predicted successful laminar flow and dilution of ethanol; based on previously reviewed literature, liposome self-assembly is well-documented under these conditions. A physical prototype has been created; given current COVID-19 restrictions, future plans include testing the device in a physical laboratory setting using different inlet flow rate ratios and dynamic light scattering to determine the homogeneity of the liposomes produced.
Location
University of the Pacific, 3601 Pacific Ave., Stockton, CA 95211
Start Date
1-5-2021 8:00 AM
End Date
1-5-2021 5:00 PM
Microfluidic Device for Liposome Formation
University of the Pacific, 3601 Pacific Ave., Stockton, CA 95211
In recent years, much research has focused on investigating new methods of drug delivery. One of these includes encapsulating drug particles in lipid vesicles, more commonly referred to as liposomes. Various methods exist of synthesizing liposomes such as injection of lipids dissolved in an ethanol solution into an aqueous environment. This particular method of synthesizing liposomes, while still successful, can result in variability with respect to the size of the vesicles produced. The focus of this project was to create a microfluidic device for a client in the Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy to aid in his liposome research. The device adapts the ethanol injection method to a microscale platform to allow for a greater degree of control over the size of the formed vesicles, resulting in greater uniformity. This device is designed to allow the mixing and dilution of an ethanol solution with an aqueous one, which will allow the lipid components to precipitate out of solution and self-assemble into vesicles. The device was designed using a computer-aided design software called SolidWorks. Fluid dynamic modeling was carried out using a finite-element analysis program called COMSOL Multiphysics to predict how the device would operate under laminar flow conditions and how well ethanol would dissolve into the aqueous solution. COMSOL predicted successful laminar flow and dilution of ethanol; based on previously reviewed literature, liposome self-assembly is well-documented under these conditions. A physical prototype has been created; given current COVID-19 restrictions, future plans include testing the device in a physical laboratory setting using different inlet flow rate ratios and dynamic light scattering to determine the homogeneity of the liposomes produced.