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Dream : Faculty : Biomaterials : Tony Lowman
Tony Lowman
Associate Professor
Whitaker Young Investigator Award, 1998
Faculty web page
Multifunctional Scaffolds for Sustained Delivery of Therapeutic Proteins
Dr. Lowman’s research is focused on the development of polymeric hydrogels for biological applications such as drug delivery, guided tissue regeneration and biological load distribution. Some specific projects include smart oral insulin delivery system (NIH funded), intervertebral disc reconstruction (NSF funded) and smart scaffolds for repair of the spinal cord.
Example REU Project: We propose the design of a novel scaffold material, which upon implantation into a spinal cord injury model will produce a permissive environment and deliver therapeutic peptides in a sustained manner. In addition it will promote recovery by selectively allowing injured axons to regenerate across the scaffold. Previous research has led to the development of hydrogel sponges that have been shown to promote angiogenesis and axon regeneration. Additionally, Dr. Lowman’s laboratory has expertise in the development and testing of biodegradable, microspheres for controlled delivery of therapeutic agents. Specifically, the REU student will be involved with the following tasks:
- Synthesizing biodegradable polymeric microspheres containing therapeutic peptides.
- Incorporating the drug-delivery vehicles into hydrogel scaffolds and evaluate the drug release kinetics and bioactivity in vitro.
- Testing the efficacy of these multifunctional scaffolds in animals with spinal cord injury.
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