This proposal was received in response to Nanoscale Science and Engineering initiative, NSF 05-610, category NER. The objective of this research is to fabricate functional three dimensional nanostructures for tissue targeted drug delivery. The approach is to use top-down nanofabrication technology, specifically step and flash nanoimprinting and thermal nanoimprint lithography, coupled with rational polymer chemistry to develop monodisperse, injectable nanocarriers with precise size and shape that can release drug in response to specific disease-associated signals. The results could not only provide new directions in fabricating drug delivery vehicles with disease-responsive properties, but would also explore the fundamental limitations and practical capabilities of generating complex nanostructures with imprint techniques. If successful, this would eventually lead to the next generation of disease-specific and highly effective therapeutics and also provide novel biomedical applications for nanoimprint lithography. The project is inherently interdisciplinary involving a biomedical engineer and a mechanical/nano-manufacturing engineer. This provides a unique and rewarding educational environment for the graduate students involved. In addition, the results and concepts developed here would directly benefit several graduate courses and would be disseminated into undergraduate and high school education by correlating nanoscale science and engineering with real-life biomedical applications.
