Bumsang Kim

Lab-on-a-Chip Pathogen Sensors for Food Safety

There have been a number of cases of foodborne illness among humans that are caused by pathogens such as Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella typhimurium, etc. The current practices to detect such pathogenic agents are cell culturing, immunoassays, or polymerase chain reactions (PCRs). These methods are essentially laboratory-based methods that are not at all real-time and thus unavailable for early-monitoring of such pathogens. They are also very difficult to implement in the field. Lab-on-a-chip biosensors, however, have a strong potential to be used in the field since they can be miniaturized and automated; they are also potentially fast and very sensitive. These lab-on-a-chip biosensors can detect pathogens in farms, packaging/processing facilities, delivery/distribution systems, and at the consumer level. There are still several issues to be resolved before applying these lab-on-a-chip sensors to field applications, including the pre-treatment of a sample, proper storage of reagents, full integration into a battery-powered system, and demonstration of very high sensitivity, which are addressed in this review article. Several different types of lab-on-a-chip biosensors, including immunoassay- and PCR-based, have been developed and tested for detecting foodborne pathogens. Their assay performance, including detection limit and assay time, are also summarized. Finally, the use of optical fibers or optical waveguide is discussed as a means to improve the portability and sensitivity of lab-on-a-chip pathogen sensors.

Fabrication of degradable carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) microneedle with laser writing and replica molding process for enhancement of transdermal drug delivery

Transdermal drug delivery system (TDDS) may provide a more reliable method of drug delivery than oral delivery by avoiding gut absorption and first-pass metabolism, but needs a method for efficiently crossing the epidermal barrier. To enhance the delivery through the skin, we have developed a biocompatible, dissolvable microneedle array made from carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). Using laser ablation for creating the mold greatly improved the efficiency and reduced the cost of microneedle fabrication. Mixing CMC with amylopectin (AP) enhanced the mechanical and tunable dissolution properties of the microneedle for controlled release of model compounds. Using the CMC microneedle array, we observed significant enhancement in the skin permeability of a fluorescent model compound, and also increase in the anti-oxidant activity of ascorbic acid after crossing the skin. Our dissolvable microneedle array provides a new and biocompatible method for delivery of drugs and cosmetic compounds through the skin.

Transdermal delivery of cosmetic ingredients using dissolving polymer microneedle arrays

The efficiency of transdermal delivery of cosmetic ingredients is often limited by the outer layer of the skin, known as the stratum corneum, which can prevent diffusion of the cosmetic ingredients through the skin. A polymer microneedle array that dissolves in the skin can enhance the permeability of the skin to cosmetics. In this study, we prepared a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) mold to fabricate a microneedle array using laser-writing process which is a very simple and efficient method compared to conventional methods for preparing molds. Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and adenosine were used as a base material for the dissolving microneedles and a model cosmetic compound, respectively. Poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (PEGDMA) was copolymerized with PVP to control the properties of microneedles such as mechanical strength and solubility. PVP microneedle array was sufficiently sharp and with enough mechanical strength to create a transdermal pathway through the skin. The dissolution rate of the needle decreased with increasing PEGDMA content in the microneedle of PVP-PEGDMA copolymer. When adenosine was applied to the skin with the microneedle array, skin permeability to adenosine was improved by 150% compared to the control (without a microneedle array). These results indicate that the PVP microneedle array developed in this study has a potential to be used in cosmetics by combining with conventional cosmetic patches.

Preparation and characterization of pH-sensitive anionic hydrogel microparticles for oral protein-delivery applications.

pH-sensitive P(MAA-g-EG) anionic hydrogel microparticles having an average diameter of approx. 4 μm were prepared by suspension photopolymerization. The pH-sensitive swelling and release behaviors of the P(MAA-g-EG) hydrogel microparticles were investigated as a biological on–off switch for the design of an oral protein delivery system triggered by external pH changes in the human GI tract. There was a drastic change of the equilibrium weight swelling ratio of P(MAA-g-EG) particles at a pH of around 5, which is the pK a of PMAA. At pH < 5, the particles were in a relatively collapsed state, while at a pH > 5 the particles swelled to a high degree. When the concentration of the cross-linker of the hydrogel increased, the swelling ratio of the P(MAA-g-EG) hydrogel microparticles decreased at a pH higher than 5 and the pK a of all the microparticles was in the pH range 4.0–6.0. In release experiments using Rhodamine B (Rh-B) as a model solute, the P(MAA-g-EG) hydrogel microparticles showed a pH-responsive release behavior. At low pH (pH 4.0) only a small amount of Rh-B was released while at high pH (pH 6.0) a relatively large amount of Rh-B was released from the hydrogel particles.

Development of smart delivery system for ascorbic acid using pH-responsive P(MAA-co-EGMA) hydrogel microparticles

pH-Responsive P(MAA-co-EGMA) hydrogel microparticles were prepared and their feasibility as intelligent delivery carriers was evaluated. P(MAA-co-EGMA) hydrogel microparticles were synthesized via dispersion photopolymerization. There was a drastic change in the swelling ratio of P(MAA-co-EGMA) microparticles at a pH of ~ 5 and, as the amount of MAA in the hydrogel increased, the swelling ratio increased at a pH above 5. The loading efficiency of the ascorbic acid into the hydrogel was affected more by the degree of swelling of the hydrogel than the electrostatic interaction between the hydrogel and the loaded ascorbic acid. The P(MAA-co-EGMA) hydrogel microparticles showed a pH-sensitive release behavior. Thus, at pH 4 almost none of the ascorbic acid permeated through the skin while at pH 6 relatively high skin permeability was obtained. The ascorbic acid loaded in the hydrogel particles was hardly degraded and its stability was maintained at high temperature.

Hydrogel‐based three‐dimensional cell culture for organ‐on‐a‐chip applications

Recent studies have reported that three‐dimensionally cultured cells have more physiologically relevant functions than two‐dimensionally cultured cells. Cells are three‐dimensionally surrounded by the extracellular matrix (ECM) in complex in vivo microenvironments and interact with the ECM and neighboring cells. Therefore, replicating the ECM environment is key to the successful cell culture models. Various natural and synthetic hydrogels have been used to mimic ECM environments based on their physical, chemical, and biological characteristics, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, and biochemical functional groups. Because of these characteristics, hydrogels have been combined with microtechnologies and used in organ‐on‐a‐chip applications to more closely recapitulate the in vivo microenvironment. Therefore, appropriate hydrogels should be selected depending on the cell types and applications. The porosity of the selected hydrogel should be controlled to facilitate the movement of nutrients and oxygen. In this review, we describe various types of hydrogels, external stimulation‐based gelation of hydrogels, and control of their porosity. Then, we introduce applications of hydrogels for organ‐on‐a‐chip. Last, we also discuss the challenges of hydrogel‐based three‐dimensional cell culture techniques and propose future directions.

Development of analytic microdevices for the detection of phenol using polymer hydrogel particles containing enzyme–QD conjugates

We present the fabrication of a microdevice for the detection of phenol by combining microfluidic channels and poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) hydrogel microparticles containing tyrosinase-quantum dot conjugates. PHEMA hydrogel microparticles containing conjugates of enzyme (tyrosinase) and quantum dot (QD) were prepared by dispersion photopolymerization and entrapped within a microfilter-incorporated reaction chamber in a microfluidic channel. The fluorescence change, due to the fluorescence quenching effect caused by the enzyme reaction between phenol and tyrosinase, was used to detect phenol. The fluorescence intensity of PHEMA hydrogel microparticles containing tyrosinase-QD conjugates at 585 nm decreased with phenol concentration. In conclusion, the microfluidic channels fabricated in this study entrapping PHEMA hydrogel microparticles containing enzyme-QD conjugates show the potential to be used as an analytic microdevice for the detection of phenol.

Synthesis and characterization of ethosomal contrast agents containing iodine for computed tomography (CT) imaging applications

Abstract As a first step in the development of novel liver-specific contrast agents using ethosomes for computed tomography (CT) imaging applications, we entrapped iodine within ethosomes, which are phospholipid vesicular carriers containing relatively high alcohol concentrations, synthesized using several types of alcohol, such as methanol, ethanol, and propanol. The iodine containing ethosomes that were prepared using methanol showed the smallest vesicle size (392 nm) and the highest CT density (1107 HU). The incorporation of cholesterol into the ethosomal contrast agents improved the stability of the ethosomes but made the vesicle size large. The ethosomal contrast agents were taken up well by macrophage cells and showed no cellular toxicity. The results demonstrated that ethosomes containing iodine, as prepared in this study, have potential as contrast agents for applications in CT imaging.

Skin permeability of compounds loaded within dissolving microneedles dependent on composition of sodium hyaluronate and carboxymethyl cellulose

Dissolving microneedles are transdermal delivery systems designed to mechanically penetrate the skin and fully dissolve in the skin in a minimally invasive manner. In this study, the skin permeability of compounds encapsulated in microneedles was controlled by changing the composition of microneedle materials. Sodium hyaluronate (SH) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) were chosen as structural materials and amylopectin was used to increase the mechanical strength of microneedles. To determine the effect of microneedle composition on skin permeability, microneedle properties such as mechanical strength and solubility were investigated according to various compositions of SH and CMC. When the CMC fraction in the needle increased, the mechanical strength of the microneedle increased, leading to high skin permeability of rhodamine B, a model compound. Using microneedles, significantly higher skin permeability of niacinamide was also obtained. These results indicate that the microneedles developed in this study improved the skin permeability of compounds loaded in the needle, and the skin permeability could be tuned by changing the composition of microneedle materials.

Size and CT density of iodine-containing ethosomal vesicles obtained by membrane extrusion: Potential for use as CT contrast agents

Computed tomography (CT) is the primary non-invasive imaging technique used for most patients with suspected liver disease. In order to improve liver-specific imaging properties and prevent toxic effects in patients with compromised renal function, we investigated the encapsulation of iodine within ethosomal vesicles. As a first step in the development of novel contrast agents using ethosomes for CT imaging applications, iodine was entrapped within ethosomes and iodine-containing ethosomes of the desired size were obtained by extrusion using a polycarbonate membrane with a defined pore size. Ethosomes containing iodine showed a relatively high CT density, which decreased when they were extruded, due to the rupture and re-formation of the lipid bilayer of the ethosome. However, when a solution with a high iodine concentration was used as a dispersion media during the extrusion process, the decrease in CT density could be prevented. In addition, ethosomes containing iodine were taken up efficiently by macrophages, which are abundant in the liver, and these ethosomes exhibited no cellular toxicity. These results demonstrate that iodine could be entrapped within ethosomal vesicles, giving the ethosomes a relatively high CT density, and that the extrusion technique used in this study could conveniently and reproducibly produce ethosomal vesicles with a desired size. Therefore, ethosomes containing iodine, as prepared in this study, have potential as contrast agents with applications in CT imaging.