Sunny Lu

BME PhD Proposal Presentation

Date: 2023-08-23
Time: 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Location / Meeting Link: IBB 3316/https://gatech.zoom.us/j/92688508624

Committee Members:
Mark R Prausnitz, PhD (Advisor); Marcus Cicerone, PhD; James Dahlman, PhD; Ravi S Kane, PhD; Gitika Panicker, PhD


Title: Development of Microneedle Patches for Vaccine Delivery and Long-Term Thermostabilization

Abstract:
Vaccines prevent 4-5 million deaths globally every year. However, there are still around 1.5 million deaths due to vaccine-preventable diseases around the world annually. Most of these deaths occur in developing regions where resources needed to improve vaccination rates are limited. These resources include trained healthcare personnel, an effective cold chain, and safe biohazardous sharps waste disposal. To address these concerns, dissolving microneedle patch (MNP) for vaccine delivery can be developed since it is self-administrable, can be thermally stable, and generates no biohazardous sharps waste after use. There has been much research conducted on developing MNPs for a variety of vaccines, however limited studies have been performed to improve the stability of MNPs encapsulating vaccine antigens for long-term storage at elevated temperatures. To achieve this, we propose to develop a MNP for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine delivery (Aim 1) since no dissolving MNP has been developed for HPV vaccine. We will also be investigating a different approach to fabricate MNPs using stable dry powder vaccines (Aim 2). This will allow for separation of the processes that stabilize the vaccine from those giving MNPs the strength for skin insertion. The immunogenicity of these patches will then be determined through in vivo mice studies (Aim 3). The development of these MNPs will allow for vaccine alternatives that do not need an effective cold chain and improve the vaccination rates in developing regions.