Title: At the interface of biomaterials and the body: Polymer-nanoparticle hydrogels from drug delivery to immunoengineering

Abstract: Hydrogels comprise a rapidly growing technology with diverse biomedical applications, from cosmetic fillers and contact lenses to drug delivery vehicles and arthritic joint relief. My thesis work in the Appel group explores how the unique properties of a single hydrogel platform can be understood and engineered toward next-generation solutions to several fundamental medical challenges, from drug delivery to immunoengineering.
 
In my thesis, I present three works which apply hydrogels to critical medical needs and explore different facets of the interface between hydrogels and the body. First, I introduce dynamic polymer-nanoparticle (PNP) hydrogels and describe their key mechanical properties, which can be leveraged for their use as lubricious physical barriers. I then apply PNP hydrogels ex and in vivo to prevent post-operative adhesions following tendon surgery. Next, I demonstrate how these materials can alternatively be employed for extended drug delivery. In collaboration with an industry partner, we deliver a small molecule therapeutic to the difficult-to-reach vitreous humor of the eye for over eight weeks with a single hydrogel administration. I conclude with a project exploring a unique feature of the PNP hydrogel platform: it permits immune cell infiltration and the formation of an in vivo niche when loaded with inflammatory cargo. I investigate the plasticity of this niche and its utility in improving the efficacy of a commercially available SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine.
 
In addition to its direct applicability to the development of therapeutics, this work illustrates the breadth of critical medical applications that hydrogels can be applied to, as well as the interdisciplinary nature of research at the interface of materials science, medicine, and bioengineering.

Please contact Madelyn Bernstein for the Zoom link