Development of a Photoactivated Respiratory Support Device

描述(申请人提供)：在自然界中，光解将光转化为能量是驱动化学反应的一种常见机制。例如，光合作用利用来自阳光的能量来促进植物的关键新陈代谢过程，同时将氧气转换为二氧化碳。这项拟议的研究的目的是应用这些物理原理来创造一个人工系统，由耐用的仿生材料组成，旨在复制正常的呼吸功能。尽管在过去的20年里，医疗保健的各个方面都有了巨大的改善，但在终末期肺部疾病患者的护理方面，几乎没有什么实质性的改善。虽然大多数重大疾病的死亡率大幅下降，但在此期间，与慢性肺部疾病有关的死亡率实际上有所上升。因此，长期以来，人们一直对开发替代严重病变肺的技术感兴趣。由于建议的技术直接从全血的水分中产生氧气，它避免了对气液扩散膜、加压气体和气瓶的需要，同时保留了红细胞快速捕获和运输溶解氧的能力的全部好处。我们的初步数据表明，通过微通道系统在血液中进行光催化呼吸的能力，该微通道系统在结构和功能上与肺毛细血管相似。这项提议的总体目标是建立在这一初步经验的基础上，以开发一种能够进行光催化动力的人工呼吸的微流控规模设备。因此，我们的具体目标包括以下几个方面：具体目标1：开发一种具有光解活性的二维微流体器件。具体目标2：开发具有增强光催化剂溶解氧通量和减少副产物二氧化碳的金属氧化物薄膜。具体目标3：确定微流控毛细管系统和光活性成分的基本生物相容性。预计该装置在临床领域的成功实施将对大量呼吸衰竭儿童和成人的发病率、死亡率和生活质量产生重大影响，并建立一个生物医学技术的创新领域。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): In nature, the photolytic conversion of light to energy is a common mechanism for driving chemical reactions. As an example, photosynthesis utilizes energy derived from sunlight to promote key metabolic processes in plants, while exchanging oxygen for carbon dioxide. The purpose of the proposed research is to apply these physical principals to create an artificial system, composed of durable biomimetic materials, designed to replicate normal respiratory function. Despite vast improvements across the spectrum of health care in the past 20 years, there have been few substantial improvements in the care of patients with end- stage lung disease. While the death rate for most major diseases has decreased significantly, the rate of death related to chronic lung disease has actually increased during this period. As a result there has long been interest in the development of technology to replace severely diseased lungs. Since the proposed technology generates oxygen directly from the water content of whole blood, it avoids the need for gas-to- liquid diffusion membranes, pressurized gas, and gas cylinders, while retaining the full benefit of the red blood cell's ability to rapidly capture and transport dissolved oxygen. Our preliminary data has demonstrated the capacity to carry out photocatalytic respiration in blood flowing through a microchannel system, which is structurally and functionally similar to pulmonary capillaries. The overall goal of this proposal is build on this preliminary experience in order to develop a microfluidic scale device capable of carrying out artificial respiration powered by photocatalysis. Accordingly, our Specific Aims include the following: Specific Aim 1: Develop a photolytically active 2D microfludic device. Specific Aim 2: Develop metal oxide thin films with enhanced dissolved oxygen flux from the photocatalyst and reduced by-product carbon dioxide. Specific Aim 3: Determine basic biocompatibility of the microfluidic capillary system and photoactive components. It is anticipated that the successful implementation of this device in the clinical arena will have significant impact on the morbidity, mortality, and quality of life for the large number of children and adults with respiratory failure, as well as establishing an innovative realm of biomedical technology.