Nanoengineering of shear-thinning biomaterials

Abstract

Shear-thinning biomaterial technology offers enables polymers and drugs loaded inside such polymers to be easily delivered directly through catheters into target area for use, for example, in cancer therapy and immunotherapy. When a force above a certain threshold is applied to inject such materials, they “thin” and behaves as a semi-solid, allowing the material to readily flow through a catheter. When the force is removed, the material instantly becomes a soft solid with significant cohesive properties that prevent it from dislodging or breaking up. We have developed novel shear-thinning biomaterials using spherical silica nanoparticles and gelatin-based polymers. Rheological tests confirm that these materials have excellent shear-thinning properties and further have improved material properties (e.g. improved stability profiles) as compared conventional materials available to medical professionals.

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