Engineering A Colloidal Gel For Controlled Calcium Release: A Versatile Approach To Develop An Antibacterial Colloidal Gel.
Discipline: Nanoscience or Materials Science
Subcategory: Biomedical Engineering
Session: 4
Room: L'efant Plaza
frances lopez - university at buffalo
Co-Author(s): debanjan sarkar, university at buffalo Eric lin, university at buffalo
Colloidal gels are composed of a network of colloidal particles that aggregate to form a gel. The unique properties of colloidal gels, including their microstructural morphology and mechanical characteristics, have made them a subject of exploration as drug delivery systems in medical applications. These properties facilitate the effective loading and subsequent release of therapeutic agents, such as calcium, which possesses antibacterial properties that can aid in reducing inflammation in infected tissues. The goal of this project was to engineer a calcium-loaded colloidal gel that allowed calcium to be released in a controlled manner. In acidic conditions, conducive to bacterial growth, the calcium loaded gel disassociates, releasing (OH-) ions that increase the surrounding environments pH, thereby inhibiting bacterial growth. Thus, the primary objective was to incorporate calcium within a polyurethane-based colloidal gel. By controlling the microstructure of this versatile gel, the release of calcium was engineered under different microenvironmental conditions, specifically targeting pH levels. For this experiment, the colloidal gels were prepared using a solution of polyurethane based particles and were subsequently loaded with calcium. The release of calcium was monitored under different pH levels and samples were collected at specific time points. The calcium content in the collected samples were quantified using a Calcium assay kit for further analysis. In summary, the release of calcium is expected to exhibit antibacterial effects in surrounding infected tissues which has the potential to aid in the resolution of the inflammatory process thereby preventing excessive inflammation and promoting tissue regeneration in patients.
Funder Acknowledgement(s): LSAMP
Faculty Advisor: Debanjan sarkar, debanjan@buffalo.edu
Role: For this research, I planned and executed all experiments. I prepared the calcium loaded colloidal gels and monitored the calcium released. I also quantified the calcium released and prepared graphical results which I then discussed with my mentor. Currently, I am working on rectifying some errors encountered with contamination of the gels and slow release rates under specific pH conditions.