Transport and Interactions in Drug Delivery Systems
Dr Susanna Abrahmsen-Alami (previous student, left the group in 2000)
Release and uptake of low molecular weight species in gelling systems are important in several industrial applications as for example pharmaceutical formulations. The aim of my project is to use methods such as Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Scattering techniques to investigate the interaction, aggregation and transport in formulations based on polymers and other additives such as surface active agents or complexing agents that may be applicable for future pharmaceutical use. Specific interest is put on the use of cyclodextrins, which may form complexes with various drugs, and on responsive polymer systems used within drug delivery. Polymers based on acrylic acid and ethylene- or propylene- oxides are examples.
In drug delivery it is essential to elucidate which properties that determine the transport of drug molecules in a surrounding matrix. It is of particular interest to deduce how factors such as matrix heterogeneity, hydrophobicity or electrostatic interactions determine the transport of probe molecules or particles of various sizes and physical characteristics in polymer matrixes.
The project is Sponsored by the Swedish Research Council for Engineering Sciences
