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| Biodegradable drug-eluting poly(ester amide) nanofibers. |
Cornell has one of the first and best university facilities for nanofabrication with 30 years of experience. Cornell is also home to the NSF funded Science and Technology Center in Nanobiotechnology and a pioneer in the development and definition of nanobiotechnology.
The techniques of micro-and nano-technology can be applied to analysis and separation of molecules to precise control of individual or clusters of cells. BME faculty, for example, have built microscale devices with interacting cells from different tissues to predict the body’s response to cocktail therapies for treating cancer. Hydrogels coupled with microfabrication and cell culture can be directed toward a synthetic microvasculture to be used in would healings. Mircofabricated “needles” have been constructed for precise delivery of drugs to the brain with minimal trauma and adverse tissue response. Smaller scale systems have been developed for effective separation of DNA into fragments as a basis for high throughput systems for genomic analyses or preparation of proteins for proteomic analysis.
Additional examples include experimental studies on protein folding kinetics, studies on cell motility and response of cells to well-defined mechanical forces and topological cues. Nanoparticles for controlled drug delivery or as enhanced image contrast agents are being constructed.
Cornell’s long history of success in nanobiotechnology, its superb facilities, and broad range of collaborators support BME efforts to be the best in the nation in nanobiotechnology.
