Ian Wark Research Institute
ARC Special Research Centre
ARC Special Research Centre
Research Area: Nanostructured materials, biointerfaces and pharmaceutical delivery
Degree: Honours
Supervisors: Prof Clive Prestidge and Dr Tim Barnes (School of Pharmacy)
Description: BiosiliconTM is a novel biomaterial with highly biocompatible properties and a defined and controllable nano-porous structure. There has been rapid growth in the number and types of biosilicon materials synthesized and the number of patents describing potential applications has increased considerably in recent years. This research project is primarily directed at pharmaceutical applications of BiosiliconTM, but will develop scientific rationale to underpin many other areas of applications, e.g. diagnostics, tissue engineering and orthopedics. The overall aim of this project is to gain new insight into BiosiliconTM as a drug delivery vehicle from the combined application of material science, interfacial science and pharmaceutical science.
The general aims of the proposed project are to:
The successful applicant will receive wide-ranging training in interfacial science (practice and theory) and its application to pharmaceutical and biotech systems. There will be opportunities to attend national and international conferences relevant to the research.
Right:
A transmission electron micrograph of highly porous BioSilicon. The "honeycomb" structure provides a large surface area that is ideal for the loading and delivery of drugs. Drug is released as the BioSilicon matrix degrades. Drug release kinetics can be controlled depending on the physical properties of the BioSilicon matrix, eg level of porosity, particle size, pore size.
