Exploring New Technologies for the Preparation of Near-Monodisperse Microbubble Suspensions

制备稳定的微泡悬浮液是科学、工程、医疗和工业部门广泛技术应用的基础；从基本食品的生产到智能材料的自组装。该项目的目的是研究使用新技术快速生产具有高度质量控制的涂覆微泡的可行性。这项工作将侧重于产生磷脂包被微泡，作为检测和治疗癌症的靶向药物递送剂。该应用在气泡尺寸、单分散性和均匀性方面的限制方面提出了重大挑战，成功的结果将对工业和研究界产生巨大影响。该项目将利用工程、材料科学和医学方面的互补专业知识，代表着大型多学科项目发展和未来技术开发的关键阶段。

The preparation of stable microbubble suspensions is fundamental to a wide range of technological applications across the scientific, engineering, medical and industrial sectors; from the production of basic foodstuffs to the self-assembly of smart materials. The aim of this project is to investigate the feasibility of using novel techniques for the rapid production of coated microbubbles with a high degree of quality control. The work will focus on the generation of phospholipid-coated microbubbles for use as targeted drug-delivery agents in the detection and treatment of cancer. This application presents a significant challenge in terms of the constraints on bubble size, monodispersity and uniformity and a successful outcome would have huge impact across both the industrial and research communities. The project will draw upon complementary expertise from engineering, materials science and medicine and represents a key stage in the development of larger multi-disciplinary projects and future exploitation of the technology.