Her thesis
research focuses on the molecular design of environmentally
sensitive complexation hydrogels for the oral
delivery of proteins. The oral administration
of proteins can improve patient compliance and
comfort, thus creating a more effective treatment
regiment. Carriers for the protein must be designed
to minimize the affects of proteolytic enzymes
throughout the gastrointestinal tract, but still
effectively deliver drug to the upper small intestine
and allow for absorption across the intestinal
epithelium into the bloodstream. Complexation
hydrogels composed of methacrylic acid grafted
with ethylene glycol chains have been prepared
as microparticles of varying size through UV-initiated
free radical polymerization. The pH responsive
carriers remain in the complexed state to protect
the drug in the harsh environment of the stomach
(i.e. a low pH) and upon reaching the small intestine
a shift in pH causes the particles to swell (decomplexation)
and release the drug at the targeted site of absorption.
Current studies include synthesis and characterization
of the drug carrier, loading and release of a
model protein (insulin) from the microparticles,
and in vitro efficacy tests using a human colon
adenocarcinoma cell line.
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