A Microfabricated Platform for Controlled Drug Release from Conductive Polymer Thin Films

Abstract

There is great interest in exploring multimodal strategies for the treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI). In animal models of SCI, multimodal treatments combine targeted drug delivery, using the experimental drug, quipazine, with therapeutic stimulation to improve functional movement. However, there is currently a sparse number of devices to elucidate treatment efficacy and an even smaller number of designs appropriate for eventual clinical translation. This research proposes a novel method of delivering quipazine using conductive polymer thin films. Capable of delivering stimulation and locally delivering drug, the biocompatible polymer, polypyrrole (PPy), has been studied for neurological use. In this thesis, we present a microfabricated platform centered around a multielectrode array (MEA) to facilitate preliminary studies on controlled release of quipazine from PPy. Each MEA facilitated the deposition of eight independent PPy-quipazine films and the simultaneous release of quipazine driven by an applied potential. Quipazine concentrations were calculated using a custom high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method coupled with mass spectrometry (MS). PPy-quipazine film topography and morphology were also examined to shed light on film quality. Although the data and experimental methods contained within this document focus on the delivery of the model drug, quipazine, from PPy, the microfabricated platform can be translated to study various drug dopant and conductive polymer combinations.