I-Corps: Functional Microscale Medical Adhesives

North Carolina State University, Raleigh NC

Investigators

Abstract

In this project, the team will use two photon polymerization and micromolding in order to prepare functional microscale medical adhesives that overcome complications associated with liquid wound sealants and other conventional wound closure materials. In recent work, the team created two-pronged, eight-pronged, ten-pronged, and sixteen-pronged out of an acrylate-based polymer using an indirect rapid prototyping approach that involved two photon polymerization and micromolding. In current work, they are creating "functional tissue barbs" by modifying tissue barb materials with rose bengal. Rose bengal is a biocompatible material that has been used to facilitate tissue bonding and wound sealing after photoactivation by green light. Resources from the I-Corps project will support two photon polymerization/micromolding of polymeric tissue barbs containing photoactivated tissue bonding agents as well as characterization of functional tissue barbs using biological, mechanical, and functional (e.g., cadaveric swine skin joining) studies. Wound site inflammation and scar formation are complications that are associated with conventional wound closure materials. An indirect rapid prototyping approach that involves a combination of two photon polymerization and micromolding will be used for high-throughput replication of functional tissue barbs from rose bengal-modified polymers. These barbs must exhibit biocompatibility and appropriate mechanical properties for clinical use. Functional tissue barbs containing photoactivated tissue bonding agents will be inexpensively produced using two photon polymerization and micromolding for use by medical practitioners in a variety of clinical settings, from the primary care physician's office to the surgical suite. If successfully commercialized, this technology has the potential to significantly impact, in a positive way, the way the health care industry treats a wide area of wounds.