Research Interests: Smart Bandage Systems

Transcription

1 Research Interests: Functional materials for the design of smart materials/devices and miniaturised diagnostics, high throughput analysis and bioassay design. Development of new teaching strategies for STEM subjects Smart Bandage Systems The management of chronic wounds is a pressing issue in modern healthcare and while they can affect a broad spectrum of patients, they tend to be particularly pernicious within those suffering from diabetes. Diabetic foot disease (DFD) is an increasingly common complication which places a severe burden on both patient and the healthcare provider - through long-term hospital admissions, frequent out-patient visits and an inevitable restriction in mobility. There is a clear requirement for the development of new sensor systems for the point of care or outpatient management of chronic wounds. The availability of such devices could significantly improve clinical outcome particularly in the early identification of infection. We are currently developing new materials that can be used to monitor the biochemical composition of the wound directly and report back to a central clinic.

2 Early identification of the onset of infection has long been recognised as being critical to implementing an effective treatment regime. This project is focused on development of an autonomous smart bandage That can be combined with conventional bandage materials and wound periodically monitor the wound for the onset of infection. Minimising Access Line Infection Intravascular catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) are among the most prevalent causes of nosocomial infections and it has been estimated that some 300,000 cases occur in US hospitals each year. The subsequent treatment regime is often complicated by the fact that bacteria associated with biofilm formation within central venous catheter (CVC) or peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) surfaces benefit from an increased resistance to conventional antimicrobial treatments and leads to a prolonged hospital admission. While this can incur additional healthcare costs in the region of $2-3 billion, the tenacity of the infection often presents life threatening complications. At present, infection is only detected once gross symptoms appear and has traditionally relied upon the expertise and vigilance of the patient. This can be highly subjective and, as a consequence, presently gives rise to an unacceptably high mortality rate. The aim of this project is to develop a microprobe that can be integrated within a CVC or PICC line and which is able to periodically monitor the condition of the line and, where appropriate, alert the patient or the healthcare staff to the onset of biofilm formation. New Approaches to Controlled Drug Release The majority of conventional controlled release technologies tend to be based around encapsulant systems in which a polymeric binder or gel typically responds to changes in the local environment in which the delivery device has been placed. The contents are released when the particle, capsule, film or droplet is exposed to the appropriate physico-chemical trigger (typically a change in ph) with the time-release-dose delivery characteristics controlled through manipulation of the encapsulant formulation. In this project we are examining the design of new functional materials that can be used in the next generation of microdevice, implant or smart patch.

3 Microprobes for Local ph Measurement The development of new approaches to the manufacture of ph sensors has garnered considerable interest in recent years and has arisen in response to the limitations of the traditional glass potentiometric systems within biomedical contexts. The latter have given rise to numerous concerns where issues over probe size and disposability can be problematic - especially where sample sizes may be limited or in vivo application is desired. A number of research avenues have been explored to address such problems and have exploited a variety of potentiometric and voltammetric methodologies. In most cases, a ph sensitive layer is added to the surface of an appropriate electrode substrate through adsorption/monolayers, polymer coating, screen printed inks, covalent attachment or electrodeposition. While such modifications can be useful for investigative purposes, there are obvious issues over electrode fouling, biocompatibility and the potential for the ph sensitive component to leach into the biological matrix. This project has developed a new approach to to the manufacture of disposable micro ph probes in which the surface of the sensor has been nanostructured to introduce ph sensitive groups.

4 Prostate Cancer Diagnostics The overall aim of the project is to develop a novel test regime that will allow the detection of prostate cancer with a far higher degree of accuracy than is currently available. The core objectives involve the development and validation of prototype electrochemical sensors that incorporate a panel of molecular recognition components which simultaneously target a range of biomarkers associated with the disease. This is in marked contrast to conventional test methodologies which measure only one parameter. This will not only provide the clinician with confirmation of the disease and but, critically, it would supply a robust quantitative measure of the disease severity thereby providing a much more refined diagnostic assessment. This should facilitate the early prediction and treatment of particularly aggressive forms of the cancer. The outcomes represent a step change in sensor design which, once adopted, would ultimately lead to pronounced socioeconomic benefits through providing an analytical clarity that allows more meaningful treatment to be implemented. This has the twin effect of improving patient wellbeing whilst reducing costs through removing the need for unnecessary follow-up investigations. Moreover the work will lead to the development of a generic sensing platform whose technology could be readily transferred to the management of other disease conditions and thereby open a wealth of collaborative opportunities between the partner countries. Ostomy Management Systems The creation of a stoma, an opening from the inside of an organ to the outside, is an increasingly common surgical intervention in the management of a large variety of clinical conditions particularly in relation to gastrointestinal failure and bowel/bladder cancers. In most cases it provides a means of diverting bowel or bladder fluid/content from diseased/infected tissue and enables its collection externally through a suitable catheter or pouch appliance system. The most common interventions relate to the bladder (urostomy), small bowel (ileostomy) or colon (colostomy) and these can be introduced as an acute or long term measure to patients who range in age from neonates to the elderly. It has been estimated that there are some 1 million ostomates in the US and 100,000 operations are conducted each year to either create or repair an ostomy. Despite numerous advances in the treatment and management of ostomies in recent years, the incidence of peristomal skin complications (PSCs) remains a perennial problem. This project aims to take a step change in the technological approach to PSCs through the creation of a smart skin wafer that can sense the condition of the underlying skin and actively manipulate the local conditions in order to minimise skin inflammation.

5 Publication Portfolio Peer reviewed research articles: 118 (H index = 23) Past and Present Research Funding 2003 EPSRC: Development of Thiol Specific Chemical Sensors for Near Patient Monitoring (PI) 2003 Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation: Development of Thiol Specific Chemical Sensors (PI) 2003 EPSRC: Basic Technologies, Advanced Techniques for Food Characterisation (PI) 2003 EPSRC: Adventure Fund, Heart Disease Diagnostics : From Clean Room to Kitchen Table (PI) 2004 EPSRC PPA: Keeping a Healthy Eye on Fuel Consumption : An Integrated Approach to the Public Dissemination (PI) 2004 EPSRC: Development of Generic Picotitre Plates Employing Reagentless 3D Multi Parametric Detection (PI) 2005 Higher Education Academy, Assistive Learning and Mentoring Junior Research Opportunities (PI) 2007 Wellcome Trust, Introducing Shape to Debates within the Biosciences (PI) 2008 EPSRC, Molecular Origami.A Practical Approach to Engineering Education (PI) 2009 Heart Research UK. Heart to Heart: Health education puzzle systems that encourage pupil parent enquiry (PI) 2011 EPSRC, Lilliput to Brobdingnag: Laying the Foundations for an Engineering Odyssey of Epic Scale (CoI) 2010 Royal Society, International Collaboration Fund (Spain): Smart films for minimising biofilm formation (PI) 2011 EPSRC: Smart Composites for Minimising Bacterial Biofilm Formation (PI) 2011 Royal Academy of Engineering UK-China International Collaboration Fund (PI) 2012 DEL Studentship: Development of Smart Bandage Technologies (PI) 2013 DEL Studentship: Multifunctional Materials for Combined Diagnostic and Therapeutic Applications (CoI) 2014 DEL Studentship: Nanostructured Materials for Controlled Drug Release (PI)

6 2014 Invest NI Proof of Concept. Leak Detection System for Ostomy Appliances (PI) 2014 US-Ireland (NIH-DEL-SFI) Protein Biomarker Arrays for Personalized Treatment of Prostate Cancer (PI UU Component)