This project?s objective is to develop a sprayable, biodegradable polymer surgical sealant for decreasing high mortality rate complications that occur after surgery. Surgical sealants currently available in the clinic have high cost, poor material properties, and are difficult to precisely deposit. Utilizing a technique called solution blow spinning, we have demonstrated the ability to directly deposit conformal biodegradable polymer fiber surgical sealants to the site of surgery in vivo with exceptional sealing strength. The overall hypothesis for this research is that reducing inflammation and increasing tissue adhesion of polymer surgical sealants will allow us to demonstrate success in pre-clinical trials for reducing complication rate after an intestinal anastomosis. This project will investigate sprayable combinations of biodegradable polymers such as poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) or poly(lactide-co-caprolactone), poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), and functionalized nanoparticles that can reduce inflammation or increase wet tissue adhesion.
The Specific Aims of the proposed research are: (1) Reduce inflammation in response to biodegradable polymers by controlling hydrophilicity using block copolymer additives. (2) Evaluate intestinal function and complication rate for PLGA-PEG surgical sealants in vivo. (3) Increase wet tissue adhesion using functionalized nanoparticles that increase physical bonding at the interface. The insights produced by these studies will also be applicable to other polymeric biomedical devices, such as sutures and tissue engineering scaffolds, increasing the significance of the work. This proposal has been designed to complement a fellowship training plan that develops cross-disciplinary technical skills in materials science and biology, leading to an academic career path in biomaterials research.

Public Health Relevance

The objective of this project is to develop a sprayable, biodegradable polymer surgical sealant for decreasing high mortality rate complications that occur after surgery. We are simultaneously investigating strategies to reduce inflammation and improve wet tissue adhesion, both of which will improve efficacy while allowing for this surgical sealant to be tested for use in additional surgical procedures. The goal of this research is to use our expertise in polymer science, in vitro materials testing, and in vivo animal models to ultimately demonstrate success in pre-clinical trials for reducing complication rate after an intestinal anastomosis.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)
Type
Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31)
Project #
1F31EB025735-01A1
Application #
9608601
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1)
Program Officer
Erim, Zeynep
Project Start
2018-09-21
Project End
2020-09-20
Budget Start
2018-09-21
Budget End
2019-09-20
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2018
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Maryland College Park
Department
Biomedical Engineering
Type
Biomed Engr/Col Engr/Engr Sta
DUNS #
790934285
City
College Park
State
MD
Country
United States
Zip Code
20742