Nanofabrication of a BioMEMS device for drug delivery

• Main Author: Ramasamy Arunachalam
• Other Authors: Sam Zhang Shanyong
• Format: Theses and Dissertations
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Nanotechnology
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/41532
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

In the recent past, fast paced research in drug delivery is phenomenal in the areas of routes of administration, nature of the drug, biological barrier and drug delivery systems. Drug delivery systems' sensing and actuating with the help of a bio responsive mechanism is better than any other mechanisms because of its high resolution sensing and best control over the delivery rate of the drug. Polymeric materials are commonly used as drug delivery membranes because of its good biodegradability and delivery rate control and easiness in processing. On the other hand, the silicon materials are also used for drug delivery for immunoisolating the drugs from the antibodies and to enhance long term storage. Both these categories have some disadvantages, like the polymers are very weak and tend to toxicate the whole system whereas, the silicon made drug delivery systems have very poor controllability and are less biocompatible comparatively. To overcome the difficulties in both these types, a suitable hybrid drug delivery device was proposed that has got Silicon capsule for storing and immunoisolating the drug, over which a hydrogel polymer is coated to have a very precise control over the delivery rate. For immunoisolation and drug storage, a silicon membrane with a reservoir is fabricated with the help of Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) fabrication process in this project.