Drug delivery

Hydrogel-based drug delivery systems provide a means for the targetted and controlled release of pharmaceutical agents. Targetted delivery means that drug molecules are delivered to specific sites within the body. Controlled delivery means that drugs are released at a specific rate. Both targetted and controlled delivery can reduce the effects of drug toxicity. A common problem with hydrogel-based drug delivery systems is the “burst effect”, where a large amount of drug molecules are suddenly released. Another issue is that hydrogels can degrade, which leads to a premature release of drugs. The objective of this project is to use mathematical modelling to optimise the performance of hydrogel-based drug delivery systems and overcome these issues.

Some examples of questions that can be explored in this project include:

• Can the burst effect be reduced by optimising the gel stiffness?
• What impact does hydrogel degradation have on drug delivery?
• How does an external fluid flow affect the release of drug molecules?