• Schematic demonstrating a drug delivery platform for delivering ciprofloxacin to treat lung-based intracellular bacterial infections

Synthetic Macromolecular Antibiotic Platform for Inhalable Therapy against Aerosolized Intracellular Alveolar Infections

The researchers demonstrate a macromolecular therapeutic platform that provides sustained local delivery of ciprofloxacin. Their work addresses the unmet need for inhaled treatments for lung-based intracellular bacterial infections such as Franciscella tularensis pneumonia (tularemia), which are currently treated with oral or IV antibiotics that poorly achieve and sustain pulmonary drug bioavailability.

  • Nanopatterned substrates mimic aligned collagen architectures in breast and pancreas cancer

Anisotropic forces from spatially constrained focal adhesions mediate contact guidance directed cell migration

The researchers investigate whole cell and molecular level interactions that mediate contact guidance of phenotypically distinct carcinoma cells. By using nano-patterning techniques to produce substrates that facilitate detailed analysis, they identify a cellular mechanism of topographic sensing that can account for the diversity of responses across multiple cell phenotypes.

  • Cross-section diagram of paper-based hydrogen fuel cell and stages of operation.

Single-use paper-based hydrogen fuel cells for point-of-care diagnostic applications

The researchers demonstrate a stand-along power source that integrates a paper-based hydrogen fuel cell with a customized chemical heater that produces hydrogen in-situ upon the addition of a liquid. Their approach could power portable diagnostics and enable functionality such as device timing, actuation and signal quantification.