Polymer Nanoengineering for Biomedical and Fluidic Applications

Nanodevices and Nanoprobes have established a new paradigm for diagnosis and treatment of disease and study of cellular functions
and pathways by combining nanotechnology and biotechnology.My research objective is comprised of two main thrusts. The first one is devoted to use nanofluidics-based devices for providing quantitative insights into the fundamental mechanism of drug delivery, disease treatment, gene therapy and response of individual cells to therapeutic/biomolecular reagents.The second one is to understand the molecular dynamics of complex fluids using DNA as a model and advanced visualization techniques.

My past research at the University of Akron, advised by Prof. Shi-Qing Wang in polymer science, focuses on investigating fundamental questions in polymer/DNA dynamics such as how entangled polymeric liquids response fast external deformation.By integrating confocal fluorescent microscope with rotational rheometer, the moleualr picture behind flow instabilities such wall slip and shear banding was captured, with simultaneous velocimteric and rheometric measurement.This unique set-up provides new insights into the phenomenology of entangled fluids in presence of flow [1-9].

In one of my unique nanostructure, arrays of DNA nanostrands were generated on micro-patterned PDMS stamp and they were transferred to confined nanoscopic elements by imprinting method, to fabricate sealed arrays of nanochannels/nanowires [10]. This fabricated nanochip was used for localized gene, drug and nanoparticle delivery to individual cells with precise control of dose, composition, and location. The delivery is achieved by the focused electric field through a nano-channel.By adjusting the voltage level, pulse duration and pulse number, dose and location control of the delivery can be precisely controlled.This approach is a benign process that can achieve perfect cell viability and transfection with much less gene/drug/nanoparticles than conventional delivery methods [11].

References:
1. Wang, S. Q.; Rvindranath, S.; Boukany, P.; Olechnowics, M.; Quirk, R. P.; Halasa, A.; Mays, J. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2006, 97, 187801.
2.Wang, Y.; Boukany, P.; Wang, S. Q.; Wang, X. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2007, 99, 237801.
3. Boukany, P. E.; Wang, S. Q. Macromolecules, 2008, 41(4), 1455.
4. Boukany, P. E.; Hu, Y. T.; Wang, S. Q. Macromolecules, 2008, 41(7), 2644.
5. Boukany, P. E.; Wang, S. Q. Soft Matter, 2009, 5 (4), 780.
6. Boukany, P. E.; Wang, S. Q. J. Rheol. 2009, 53 (1), 73.
7. Boukany, P. E.; Wang, S. Q.; Wang, X. Macromolecules 2009, 42(16), 6261.
8. Boukany, P. E.; Wang, S. Q. Macromolecules 2009, 42 (6), 2222.
9. Boukany, P. E.; Hemminger, O.; Wang, S. Q.; Lee, J. L. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2010, 105, 027802.
10. Guan, J.; Boukany, P. E.; Chiou, N.; Hemminger, O.; Lee, J. L. Adv. Mater. 2010, 22, 3997.
11. Boukany, P. E.; Mross, A.; Zhang, X.; Hu, X.;; Bo, Y.;  Lafyatis, G.; Lee, J. L. Nature Nanotechnology 2010, (under review).