A new coating system for the transfer of drugs

Researchers from the University of Melbourne have developed an efficient system for coating tiny objects, for example bacterial cells, with thin surfaces that arrange themselves independently. This system may have important applications in the field of drug delivery as well as in biomedical applications and in the field of environmental protection

Researchers from the University of Melbourne have developed an efficient system for coating tiny objects, for example bacterial cells, with thin surfaces that arrange themselves independently. This system may have important applications in the field of drug delivery as well as in biomedical applications and in the field of environmental protection.

As published in the prestigious journal Science, Professor Frank Caruso from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Melbourne and his research group have developed a new strategy for coating microscopic materials, a development that could lead to a new generation particle system with tailored properties. The new system is expected to help the development of drug delivery in the fields of cancer, vaccines, heart disease and nervous system health.

The capsules can be designed so that their coating disintegrates under different conditions, which will allow a delayed and controlled release of the stored substances inside these capsules. "Nano-engineered capsules" attract a lot of attention as drug carriers since they have the ability to improve the transfer and efficiency of the drugs while reducing the side effects associated with them", explains the lead researcher.

"Our engineered particle system can be quickly prepared from materials found in nature (such as salts and nutrients), and enables the acquisition of predetermined physical and chemical properties, characteristics that make it a versatile substrate that can be used in diverse applications," explains the researcher.

The news about the study