The Center for Affordable Nanoengineering of Polymeric Biomedical Devices is researching low-cost, polymer-based nanotechnologies that can be used to manufacture multifunctional nanostructures and nanofluidic devices for next generation medical diagnostic and therapeutic applications. The Center?s research concentrates on the interface between polymer nanoengineering and nanofluidics, leading to two practical nanofactory assembly lines, one based on nanofluidic network and the other on electrospun nanofibers. A nanofactory assembly line links nanomaterials and nanotechnologies to allow cells, biomolecules and nanoparticles to be formed and transported along a pre-specified ?assembly line? with controlled motion and structure. It allows continuous production of multi-functional biomimetic nanostructures, non-stochastic transfection and molecular analysis of individual cells, and 3D cell-based devices. These nanofactories will greatly enhance the performance of new drugs and genes discovered through genomics and proteomics research for the treatment of cancer, infectious and parasitological disease, chronic illness, and genetic disorders. There are three major scientific challenges in Phase II: 1) nanoscale characterization and modeling of polymer properties, 2) interfacial polymer-biomolecule interactions at the nanoscale, and 3) nanoscale and multiscale fluidics and modeling These scientific studies will enable: (1) affordable and biologically benign fabrication of 3D polymer nanoconstructs, (2) guided assembly of polymer and biomolecule nanostructures, (3) active nanofluidic designs, and (4) arrays of devices for the manipulation of biomolecules, cells and nanoparticles, based on magnetic tweezers, optical tweezer wave guides, and electrochemical dip-pen nanolithography cantilever arrays.
The societal impacts of the proposed activities are to: (1) commercialize new nanoengineered biomedical devices through affordable manufacturing methods and novel design, (2) extend research results from medical/biology applications to functional nanocomposites, water treatment, homeland security, environmental protection, and food industry toxicology, (3) establish new products and new industries to create high-paying jobs in the U.S., and (4) train the 21st century workforce in economically important and critical high-tech fields.
