Battling with environments: Drug delivery to target tissues with particles and functional biomaterials

Abstract

Recent years have seen a growing interest in drug-delivery technology as an enabling tool for complicated pharmacological activities. At the same time, this field has faced as many challenges as successes in translating novel ideas into clinical benefits. The Laboratory for Therapeutic Particles and Biomaterials Engineering at Purdue University (IN, USA) has striven to identify the current challenges in drug delivery and find solutions through the design of new drug-delivery systems. We develop new inhalable formulations for drug and gene delivery for cystic fibrosis patients, simple particle platforms for inhalable drug delivery, anion-resistant nonviral gene vectors, tumor-targeted nanoparticle systems, and hydrogel-based therapeutics. Through expanded collaborations with researchers in medicine and related disciplines, we strive to contribute to advancing the drug delivery field in a clinically relevant manner. © 2010 Future Science Ltd.