Smart Polymers are a new generation of materials which exhibit extraordinary properties. These types of polymers can respond sharply to small changes in physical or chemical conditions with relatively large phase or property changes. Arguable the greatest potential of smart polymers lays in the area of targeted drug delivery. With clinical applications beginning to emerge it is a very exciting time for smart polymer materials research.
Animal Health research in the MRI focuses on the development of polymer based formulations for controlled, modified, sustained and targeted release.
Animal Health is a critical contributor to both international competitiveness and on-farm profitability. The Global Animal Health Market is continually growing and is currently estimated to be worth over €20 billion, thus providing huge export potential for Irish companies.
Funded projects:
Melt processed smart polymer drug delivery systems
Title: Melt processed smart polymer drug delivery systems
Summary: Tomorrow’s challenge is to develop new medicines, devices and procedures that prevent or provide better treatment to existing medical conditions. This research involves the development of targeted drug delivery systems based on melt processed stimuli responsive smart polymers. It explores the early stage potential of these advanced smart polymer materials for targeted drug delivery applications.
Funding agency: President Seed Fund Postgraduate Research Scholarship
Principal Investigator: Dr. Luke Geever
Researcher: Maya Frost
Duration: 2014 to 2016
The Development of Novel Smart Melt Processed Drug Delivery Systems to control the Release Rate of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients
Summary: Delivery of active agents in response to physiological variation and to a targeted site is considered a compelling goal for the next generation of drug therapy research. This research involves the development of novel melt processed smart polymer materials for targeted drug delivery applications. Smart polymers have been heralded by many as the materials with greatest potential in the development of targeted drug delivery systems.
Principal Investigators: Dr. Luke Geever and Dr. Sean Lyons.
Collaborators:
University College Dublin (School of Medicine and Medical Science)
Stanford University (School of Medicine – Department of Surgery).
Researcher: Shane Halligan
Funding agency: President Seed Fund Postgraduate Research Scholarship
Duration: 2014 to 2018
Extended Release Technologies for the animal health market using hot melt extrusion (Easy-DelivERT)
Summary: Administering active ingredients to cattle is an arduous, time consuming as well as dangerous task which must be performed a number of times every year. Modern farmers are looking for easier to use, safer and more reliable methods of supplementing and medicating cattle. This new polymer controlled release technology provides a user friendly, low labour intensive and safer method of administering supplements and active agents to cattle.
Principal Investigator Dr. Luke Geever
Collaboration: Trinity College Dublin (School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences).
Researcher: Dr. Joshua Yoon
Funding agency: Enterprise Ireland Commercialisation Fund
Duration: 2012 to 2016
Development of novel anthelmintic drug delivery devices that control endoparasites such as fluke and worms
Summary: Methods of delivering antiparasitic drugs to cattle are very outdated, and the need for easy-to-use and cost effective methods of delivering such drugs to livestock has never been so critical. This research will develop novel multifunctional polymer delivery devices that will be cost effective and easy to use, and will have the ability to deliver active pharmaceutical ingredients in a controlled manner over a prolonged period of time.
Funding agency: IOTI Postgraduate Research Scholarship
Principal Investigator: Dr. Luke Geever
Collaboration Trinity College Dublin (School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences).
Duration: 2013 to 2016
Melt processing and characterisation of polymer blends to improve the solubility of hydrophobic veterinary API’s
Summary: This research will develop novel multifunctional polymer delivery devices with the ability to deliver API’s in a controlled manner over time.
Funding agency: President Seed Fund Postgraduate Research Scholarship
Principal Investigator: Dr. Luke Geever.
Researcher: Conor Coffey
Duration: 2013 to 2016
Complete projects:
Next generation smart polymer materials for targeted drug delivery applications
Summary: This research addresses a real world problem by developing targeted drug delivery systems based on smart melt processed temperature sensitive polymers with the goal of improving the efficacy of drug delivery while reducing negative side effects.
Funding agency: President Seed Fund Postgraduate Research Scholarship
Principal Investigator/Collaboration: The PI for this study is Dr. Luke Geever and the research is in collaboration with University College Dublin (School of Medicine and Medical Science) and Stanford University (School of Medicine – Department of Surgery).
Researcher: Maurice Dalton
Duration: 2014 to 2016
Development of smart materials for delivery of biologics
Summary: Novel drug delivery systems were developed. Research results were disseminated in numerous high-impact factor peer-reviewed journals.
Principal Investigator: Prof. Clement Higginbotham
Funding agency: HEA-Strand 3
Duration: 2007 to 2012
Publications
Controlled Release of Pharmaceuticals Publications
Peter Boyd, Ian Major, Weiguang Wang, Christopher McConville: Development of Disulfiram-Loaded Vaginal Rings for the Localised Treatment of Cervical Cancer. European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics 11/2014; 88(3). DOI:10.1016/j.ejpb.2014.08.002.
Christopher McConville, Ian Major, David R. Friend, Meredith R. Clark, R. Karl Malcolm: Development of a UC781 releasing polyethylene vinyl acetate vaginal ring. Drug Delivery and Translational Research 12/2012; 2(6). DOI:10.1007/s13346-012-0101-3.
Biomedical Polymer Research
Biomedical polymer research at the MRI is underpinned by a strong tradition in polymer chemistry and polymer processing capabilities. Building on these foundations, a wide variety of materials and manufacturing methods are currently being developed.
Core areas include:
Bone regeneration, Peripheral nerve repair, Biodegradable stents, Wound healing devices, Lubricious hydrophilic coatings.
Bone is a highly complex tissue, which undergoes microfracture and repair through everyday loading. It is this ability to repair and regenerate its structure that enables bone to spontaneously repair itself following injury without the formation of scar tissue. However, 5-10% of all fractures do not heal in the desired manner. This can lead to the need for surgical intervention where the most common treatment is a bone grafting procedure. There are an estimated 2.2 million such procedures globally each year, which makes bone the second most transplanted tissue after blood. These procedures have inherent disadvantages which gives rise to a great deal of research in this area to develop viable bone graft substitute materials.
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Peripheral nerve injuries may occur as a result of trauma, infection, or genetic disorders, resulting in pain, sensory loss, muscle weakness and problems with movement. It is estimated that over 700,000 surgical procedures are conducted in the US alone very year, and the annual value of the market is over $700 M. At present, there is no commercially available polymeric device that equals the performance of the autograft, which is the current gold standard. To address this unmet clinical need, the peripheral nerve repair biomaterials programme at the MRI seeks to develop novel polymeric biomaterials and manufacturing methods for the creation of the next generation of medical implants for peripheral nerve repair applications.
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The MRI has a strong track record in the field of coatings for catheters, development of drug eluting stents and the development of biodegradable polymer blends with tailored degradation profiles and mechanical properties. This knowledge is combined to produce solutions for use in the field of biodegradable stents, where polymers and composites with specific mechanical properties and degradation profiles are required.
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Biomedical Polymer Research
Biomedical polymer research at the MRI is underpinned by a strong tradition in polymer chemistry and polymer processing capabilities. Building on these foundations, a wide variety of materials and manufacturing methods are currently being developed.
Core areas include:
Bone regeneration, Peripheral nerve repair, Biodegradable stents, Wound healing devices, Lubricious hydrophilic coatings.
Biomedical Polymer Research
Biomedical polymer research at the MRI is underpinned by a strong tradition in polymer chemistry and polymer processing capabilities. Building on these foundations, a wide variety of materials and manufacturing methods are currently being developed.
Core areas include:
Bone regeneration, Peripheral nerve repair, Biodegradable stents, Wound healing devices, Lubricious hydrophilic coatings.
Controlled Release & Smart Polymers
The development of novel drug delivery systems is an extremely active area of the biomedical industry, and there are obvious economic and therapeutic advantages to improving the manner in which drugs are administered. Polymer drug delivery systems have been an area of core competence within AIT for over 20 years, leading to numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals, as well as important collaborations with leading higher education and industry partners.
Smart Polymers are a new generation of materials which exhibit extraordinary properties. These types of polymers can respond sharply to small changes in physical or chemical conditions with relatively large phase or property changes. Arguable the greatest potential of smart polymers lays in the area of targeted drug delivery. With clinical applications beginning to emerge it is a very exciting time for smart polymer materials research.
Learn More
Controlled Release & Smart Polymers
The development of novel drug delivery systems is an extremely active area of the biomedical industry, and there are obvious economic and therapeutic advantages to improving the manner in which drugs are administered. Polymer drug delivery systems have been an area of core competence within AIT for over 20 years, leading to numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals, as well as important collaborations with leading higher education and industry partners.
Controlled Release & Smart Polymers
The development of novel drug delivery systems is an extremely active area of the biomedical industry, and there are obvious economic and therapeutic advantages to improving the manner in which drugs are administered. Polymer drug delivery systems have been an area of core competence within AIT for over 20 years, leading to numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals, as well as important collaborations with leading higher education and industry partners.
Controlled Release & Smart Polymers
The development of novel drug delivery systems is an extremely active area of the biomedical industry, and there are obvious economic and therapeutic advantages to improving the manner in which drugs are administered. Polymer drug delivery systems have been an area of core competence within AIT for over 20 years, leading to numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals, as well as important collaborations with leading higher education and industry partners.
Polymer Processing & Additive Manufacturing
The Materials Research Institute has unrivalled polymer processing capabilities in the Irish setting. It carries equipment for injection moulding, extrusion, melt spinning, compounding, vacuum forming, compression moulding and blow moulding. The Materials Research Institute is home to the Applied Polymer Technologies (APT) Technology Gateway. APT is part of the Technology Gateway Network, a nationwide resource for industry based in the IoTs delivering solutions on near to market problems for industrial partners.
Polymer Processing & Additive Manufacturing
The Materials Research Institute has unrivalled polymer processing capabilities in the Irish setting. It carries equipment for injection moulding, extrusion, melt spinning, compounding, vacuum forming, compression moulding and blow moulding. The Materials Research Institute is home to the Applied Polymer Technologies (APT) Technology Gateway. APT is part of the Technology Gateway Network, a nationwide resource for industry based in the IoTs delivering solutions on near to market problems for industrial partners.
Polymer Processing & Additive Manufacturing
The Materials Research Institute has unrivalled polymer processing capabilities in the Irish setting. It carries equipment for injection moulding, extrusion, melt spinning, compounding, vacuum forming, compression moulding and blow moulding. The Materials Research Institute is home to the Applied Polymer Technologies (APT) Technology Gateway. APT is part of the Technology Gateway Network, a nationwide resource for industry based in the IoTs delivering solutions on near to market problems for industrial partners.
Polymer Processing & Additive Manufacturing
The Materials Research Institute has unrivalled polymer processing capabilities in the Irish setting. It carries equipment for injection moulding, extrusion, melt spinning, compounding, vacuum forming, compression moulding and blow moulding. The Materials Research Institute is home to the Applied Polymer Technologies (APT) Technology Gateway. APT is part of the Technology Gateway Network, a nationwide resource for industry based in the IoTs delivering solutions on near to market problems for industrial partners.
Polymer Processing & Additive Manufacturing
The Materials Research Institute has unrivalled polymer processing capabilities in the Irish setting. It carries equipment for injection moulding, extrusion, melt spinning, compounding, vacuum forming, compression moulding and blow moulding. The Materials Research Institute is home to the Applied Polymer Technologies (APT) Technology Gateway. APT is part of the Technology Gateway Network, a nationwide resource for industry based in the IoTs delivering solutions on near to market problems for industrial partners.
Polymer Processing & Additive Manufacturing
The Materials Research Institute has unrivalled polymer processing capabilities in the Irish setting. It carries equipment for injection moulding, extrusion, melt spinning, compounding, vacuum forming, compression moulding and blow moulding. The Materials Research Institute is home to the Applied Polymer Technologies (APT) Technology Gateway. APT is part of the Technology Gateway Network, a nationwide resource for industry based in the IoTs delivering solutions on near to market problems for industrial partners.
Polymer Processing & Additive Manufacturing
The Materials Research Institute has unrivalled polymer processing capabilities in the Irish setting. It carries equipment for injection moulding, extrusion, melt spinning, compounding, vacuum forming, compression moulding and blow moulding. The Materials Research Institute is home to the Applied Polymer Technologies (APT) Technology Gateway. APT is part of the Technology Gateway Network, a nationwide resource for industry based in the IoTs delivering solutions on near to market problems for industrial partners.
Polymer Processing & Additive Manufacturing
The Materials Research Institute has unrivalled polymer processing capabilities in the Irish setting. It carries equipment for injection moulding, extrusion, melt spinning, compounding, vacuum forming, compression moulding and blow moulding. The Materials Research Institute is home to the Applied Polymer Technologies (APT) Technology Gateway. APT is part of the Technology Gateway Network, a nationwide resource for industry based in the IoTs delivering solutions on near to market problems for industrial partners.
Composites Materials & Upscaling
The MRI specializes in the development of innovative thermoplastic composite materials for use in a variety of industrial applications. Polymer composites consist of a matrix polymer material with a reinforcing or non-reinforcing filler dispersed throughout. The matrix polymer acts to provide protection to the reinforcement material from both chemical and environmental attack; bonding to the reinforcement to permit transfer of load; and to hold the reinforcement in a fixed orientation.
Our research encompasses both fibrous and particulate reinforcement, with a focus on basalt fibre, nanoclay and halloysite tubes.
Composites Materials & Upscaling
The MRI specializes in the development of innovative thermoplastic composite materials for use in a variety of industrial applications. Polymer composites consist of a matrix polymer material with a reinforcing or non-reinforcing filler dispersed throughout. The matrix polymer acts to provide protection to the reinforcement material from both chemical and environmental attack; bonding to the reinforcement to permit transfer of load; and to hold the reinforcement in a fixed orientation.
Our research encompasses both fibrous and particulate reinforcement, with a focus on basalt fibre, nanoclay and halloysite tubes.
Composites Materials & Upscaling
The MRI specializes in the development of innovative thermoplastic composite materials for use in a variety of industrial applications. Polymer composites consist of a matrix polymer material with a reinforcing or non-reinforcing filler dispersed throughout. The matrix polymer acts to provide protection to the reinforcement material from both chemical and environmental attack; bonding to the reinforcement to permit transfer of load; and to hold the reinforcement in a fixed orientation.
Our research encompasses both fibrous and particulate reinforcement, with a focus on basalt fibre, nanoclay and halloysite tubes.
Composites Materials & Upscaling
The MRI specializes in the development of innovative thermoplastic composite materials for use in a variety of industrial applications. Polymer composites consist of a matrix polymer material with a reinforcing or non-reinforcing filler dispersed throughout. The matrix polymer acts to provide protection to the reinforcement material from both chemical and environmental attack; bonding to the reinforcement to permit transfer of load; and to hold the reinforcement in a fixed orientation.
Our research encompasses both fibrous and particulate reinforcement, with a focus on basalt fibre, nanoclay and halloysite tubes.
Composites Materials & Upscaling
The MRI specializes in the development of innovative thermoplastic composite materials for use in a variety of industrial applications. Polymer composites consist of a matrix polymer material with a reinforcing or non-reinforcing filler dispersed throughout. The matrix polymer acts to provide protection to the reinforcement material from both chemical and environmental attack; bonding to the reinforcement to permit transfer of load; and to hold the reinforcement in a fixed orientation.
Our research encompasses both fibrous and particulate reinforcement, with a focus on basalt fibre, nanoclay and halloysite tubes.
Composites Materials & Upscaling
The MRI specializes in the development of innovative thermoplastic composite materials for use in a variety of industrial applications. Polymer composites consist of a matrix polymer material with a reinforcing or non-reinforcing filler dispersed throughout. The matrix polymer acts to provide protection to the reinforcement material from both chemical and environmental attack; bonding to the reinforcement to permit transfer of load; and to hold the reinforcement in a fixed orientation.
Our research encompasses both fibrous and particulate reinforcement, with a focus on basalt fibre, nanoclay and halloysite tubes.
Composites Materials & Upscaling
The MRI specializes in the development of innovative thermoplastic composite materials for use in a variety of industrial applications. Polymer composites consist of a matrix polymer material with a reinforcing or non-reinforcing filler dispersed throughout. The matrix polymer acts to provide protection to the reinforcement material from both chemical and environmental attack; bonding to the reinforcement to permit transfer of load; and to hold the reinforcement in a fixed orientation.
Our research encompasses both fibrous and particulate reinforcement, with a focus on basalt fibre, nanoclay and halloysite tubes.
Composites Materials & Upscaling
The MRI specializes in the development of innovative thermoplastic composite materials for use in a variety of industrial applications. Polymer composites consist of a matrix polymer material with a reinforcing or non-reinforcing filler dispersed throughout. The matrix polymer acts to provide protection to the reinforcement material from both chemical and environmental attack; bonding to the reinforcement to permit transfer of load; and to hold the reinforcement in a fixed orientation.
Our research encompasses both fibrous and particulate reinforcement, with a focus on basalt fibre, nanoclay and halloysite tubes.
