NIRT: Robust Manufacturing Protocol for Particulate-like Nanoporous Micro-devices (NMDs) for Biomedical and Biochemical Applications (Manufacturing Processes at the Nanoscale)

该项目提出了一种基于选择性集成不同的微纳米级制造模块的鲁棒和通用制造协议。这些模块包括聚合物微印迹和纳米印迹（“自上而下”的方法），以及纳米多孔二氧化硅和生物分子附着的表面自组装（“自下而上”的方法），用于大规模生产聚合物或聚合物/二氧化硅纳米多孔微器件（nmd），这些器件具有颗粒状结构，具有明确的非球形3D几何形状，纳米级扩散孔/通道和分子靶向功能。与传统的球形微纳米颗粒相比，这些颗粒状的nmd将提供更大的多面表面积，以增加功能，明确的颗粒形状，以更好地控制流动动力学，以及高度特异性的靶向和释放能力。关键问题的基础研究，如在微纳米尺度上处理生物可降解和生物相容性聚合物的科学；聚合物微/纳米印迹的建模研究并将讨论通过纳米孔/通道控制药物释放的纳米流体学。这项研究将由一个跨学科团队进行，包括来自生物医学工程、化学工程和机械工程部门的五名研究人员，他们在微/纳米制造、纳米级加工和测量、界面现象和分子自组装、生物分子和表面活性剂以及多相流化方面具有专业知识。虽然研究将集中在药物输送装置的制造上，但同样的方法可以很容易地应用于各种生物机械系统（生物传感器、生物反应器、组织支架）或其他MEMs/NEMS设备。

This project proposes to develop a robust and versatile manufacturing protocol based on the selective integration of distinct micro- and nano-scale fabrication modules. These modules include polymer micro-imprinting and nano-imprinting (the 'top down' approach), and surface self-assembly of nanoporous silica and biomolecular attachment (the 'bottom up' approach) for the mass-production of polymer or polymer/silica nanoporous micro-devices (NMDs) that have particulate-like structures with well-defined non-spherical 3D geometry, nano-scale diffusion pore/channels, and molecular targeting function. In comparison with conventional spherical micro- and nano-particles, these particulate-like NMDs will provide larger and multi-face surface area for increased functionality, well-defined particle shape for better control of flow dynamics, and highly specific targeting and release capability. Fundamental studies on critical issues such as the science of processing biodegradable and biocompatible polymers at micro- and nano-scale; modeling of polymer micro-/nano-imprinting; and nanofluidics of controlled drug release through nanopores/channels will also be addressed.The research will be conducted by an interdisciplinary team that includes five researchers from biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, and mechanical engineering departments with expertise on micro-/nano-fabrication, nano-scale machining and measurements, interfacial phenomena and molecular self-assembly, biomolecules and surfactants, and multi-phase fluidization. Although the research will focus on the fabrication of drug delivery devices, the same methodology can be easily applied to a variety of BioMEMS (biosensors, bioreactors, tissue scaffolds) or other MEMs/NEMS devices.