OPTIMISED DELIVERY OF THERAPEUTIC siRNA INTO HUMAN SKIN

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RNAi is a new form of therapy that allows faulty genes to be switched off in a wide range of genetic diseases and in cancer. The barrier to applying this revolutionary new form of medicine is how to deliver it into the body, since the molecules involved are larger than normal drugs and so cells require some help in taking this material up so it can have its beneficial effect. The main aim of this project is to revolutionise the delivery of these new therapeutics into the skin, as a test organ system. Skin has the advantage of being on the outside of the body for easy access, and excess human skin from cosmetic surgery (breast reductions and tummy tucks) is readily available for experimentation to optimise delivery of RNAi molecules. In pursuit of this, we will develop an innovative new tool combining chemistry, ultrasound and arrays of microscopic painless needles for fast, effective and reliable delivery into skin at high coverage rates. Once optimised for skin diseases, this hand-held device will be readily adapted for use on internal organs using keyhole surgery methods, so that the potential applications of this device across all branches of medicine are huge. The team assembled in Dundee brings together leading molecular biologists with engineers, supported by further international collaborators with diverse skills across many different fields, in order to piece together elements of technology in ways that have never been done before. The estimated market for solving the therapy delivery problem being tackled here is in the order of 10s of billions of dollars per year.