1,043 research outputs found
Advances in drug delivery and the need of emerging technologies
No full textHealthcare-related emerging technologies are constantly evolving to ensure that the level of healthcare that is available to the population remains cutting-edge. The scope of technologies that are showing great progression currently cover a wide range of treatments, from regenerative medicine to healthcare-based mobile applications. It is often the case that technologies are progressing due to advancements in related fields, as many methods can be linked to each other; for example, using additive manufacturing (AM) to advance the field of microfluidics (MFs) via chip fabrication. The technologies reviewed in this chapter may not necessarily be contemporary, but their novel usages classify them as emerging fields. Discussed within this review are a range of emerging technologies and their associated advantages and setbacks, to help clarify which areas are showing true promise and which may still require further development.<br/
Advances in drug delivery and the need of emerging technologies
No full textHealthcare-related emerging technologies are constantly evolving to ensure that the level of healthcare that is available to the population remains cutting-edge. The scope of technologies that are showing great progression currently cover a wide range of treatments, from regenerative medicine to healthcare-based mobile applications. It is often the case that technologies are progressing due to advancements in related fields, as many methods can be linked to each other; for example, using additive manufacturing (AM) to advance the field of microfluidics (MFs) via chip fabrication. The technologies reviewed in this chapter may not necessarily be contemporary, but their novel usages classify them as emerging fields. Discussed within this review are a range of emerging technologies and their associated advantages and setbacks, to help clarify which areas are showing true promise and which may still require further development.<br/
Vat photopolymerization methods for drug delivery applications
No full textVat photopolymerization (VP) is a family of 3D Printing (3DP) technologies based on the photopolymerization of liquid light curable resins. VP 3D printed drug delivery systems (DDSs) have gained increasing popularity, offering multiple advantages over traditional DDS. Among them they offer the possibility to manufacture 3D devices with customizable design and intricate structure, and centred to the patient needs, facilitating the personalized medication. This chapter describes the VP techniques used for drug delivery applications, their advantages and limitations and overview the DDS manufactured with this 3DP technology
3D and 4D Printing in the Fight against Breast Cancer
No full textBreast cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide, characterized by a high incidence and mortality rate. Despite the advances achieved in cancer management, improvements in the quality of life of breast cancer survivors are urgent. Moreover, considering the heterogeneity that characterizes tumors and patients, focusing on individuality is fundamental. In this context, 3D printing (3DP) and 4D printing (4DP) techniques allow for a patient-centered approach. At present, 3DP applications against breast cancer are focused on three main aspects: treatment, tissue regeneration, and recovery of the physical appearance. Scaffolds, drug-loaded implants, and prosthetics have been successfully manufactured; however, some challenges must be overcome to shift to clinical practice. The introduction of the fourth dimension has led to an increase in the degree of complexity and customization possibilities. However, 4DP is still in the early stages; thus, research is needed to prove its feasibility in healthcare applications. This review article provides an overview of current approaches for breast cancer management, including standard treatments and breast reconstruction strategies. The benefits and limitations of 3DP and 4DP technologies are discussed, as well as their application in the fight against breast cancer. Future perspectives and challenges are outlined to encourage and promote AM technologies in real-world practice
Vat photopolymerization methods for drug delivery applications
No full textVat photopolymerization (VP) is a family of 3D Printing (3DP) technologies based on the photopolymerization of liquid light curable resins. VP 3D printed drug delivery systems (DDSs) have gained increasing popularity, offering multiple advantages over traditional DDS. Among them they offer the possibility to manufacture 3D devices with customizable design and intricate structure, and centred to the patient needs, facilitating the personalized medication. This chapter describes the VP techniques used for drug delivery applications, their advantages and limitations and overview the DDS manufactured with this 3DP technology
Combining 3D printing and microfluidic techniques: a powerful synergy for nanomedicine
No full textNanomedicine has grown tremendously in recent years, as a responsive strategy to find novel therapies for treating challenging pathological conditions. As a result, there is an urgent need to develop novel formulations capable of providing adequate therapeutic treatment while overcoming the limitations of traditional protocols. Lately, microfluidic technology (MF) and additive manufacturing (AM) have both acquired popularity, bringing numerous benefits to a wide range of life science applications. Have been numerous benefits and drawbacks of MF and AM as distinct techniques, with case studies to show how careful optimization of operational parameters enables them to overcome existing limitations. Therefore, the focus of this review is to highlight the potential of the synergy between MF and AM, emphasizing the significant benefits that this collaboration could entail. The combination of the techniques ensures the full customization of MF-based systems while remaining cost-effective and less time-consuming compared to classical approaches. Furthermore, MF and AM enable highly sustainable procedures suitable for industrial scale-out, leading to one of the most promising innovations of the near future
Microfluidics systems for sustainable pharmaceutical manufacturing and biological analysis
No full textThe growing accessibility to microfluidics and its proclivity for producing high-quality results have propelled the technology into an area of wide-scale interest; however, this rapid growth has come to a point where it must be matched by inherent sustainable practices to ensure its longevity. The applications of microfluidics are diverse, from medicinal formulation to complex analyte detection, further increasing the need for establishing sustainable methodologies. Factors such as experimental design, time efficiency, and cost viability are all feasible avenues to pursue, with the goal of improving the sustainability of microfluidics, whilst maintaining the previously established quality obtained during the initial growth of microfluidics. A particular focus upon the effective training of the microfluidic operator is highlighted, which can improve the likelihood of experimental success, consequently reducing waste produced. From a sustainability viewpoint, microfluidics is assessed in this chapter, in terms of its environmental, economic, and social factors, for manufacturing and analytical purposes in the pharmaceutical field. The aim of this chapter is to ensure that the future generation of microfluidic users will work with a consideration as to the sustainable impact that will come as consequence of scientific experimentation.<br/
Microfluidics: current and future perspectives
No full textThe advancement of microfluidics (MFs) for use in a variety of fields has pushed forward technology in many areas, including rapid diagnostics, point-of-care devices, therapeutic manufacturing, and non-animal trial methods for the testing of therapeutics and cosmetics. The importance of MFs was especially highlighted by the role they played in the COVID-19 pandemic, both in the manufacturing of COVID vaccines and in rapid antigen tests that were used widely in clinical and non-clinical settings. In this chapter, the most recent of these advancements in these fields will be discussed. Additionally, ways in which the field of MFs could change in order to push forward further progress will be discussed along with what potential advancements in adjacent fields would be useful for the continued improvement and expansion of MFs.<br/
Application of microfluidics in cancer diagnosis and treatment
No full textCancer is one of the leading causes of mortality globally, with a possibility to prevent many of these incidents via enhancing lifestyle habits and early detection through screening for better interventional outcomes. Current conventional analytical methods lack specificity and sensitivity, also requiring invasive methods to obtain samples. Thus, with the advancement in health-related technologies, microfluidic (MF)-based technology provides a reliable opportunity in early detection, isolation and separation of cancer cells and biomarkers without sacrificing sensitivity and specify. Also, it can be used for new drug development and screening. The MF devices are fast, cheap, and with future options to be integrated with next generations technologies such as artificial intelligence.<br/
Applications of AFM in pharmaceutical sciences
No full textAtomic force microscopy (AFM) is a high-resolution imaging technique that uses a small probe (tip and cantilever) to provide topographical information on surfaces in air or in liquid media. By pushing the tip into the surface or by pulling it away, nanomechanical data such as compliance (stiffness, Young’s Modulus) or adhesion, respectively, may be obtained and can also be presented visually in the form of maps displayed alongside topography images. This chapter outlines the principles of operation of AFM, describing some of the important imaging modes and then focuses on the use of the technique for pharmaceutical research. Areas include tablet coating and dissolution, crystal growth and polymorphism, particles and fibres, nanomedicine, nanotoxicology, drug-protein and protein-protein interactions, live cells, bacterial biofilms and viruses. Specific examples include mapping of ligand-receptor binding on cell surfaces, studies of protein-protein interactions to provide kinetic information and the potential of AFM to be used as an early diagnostic tool for cancer and other diseases. Many of these reported investigations are from 2011-2014, both from the literature and a few selected studies from the authors’ laboratories
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