Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Professor Zhao Jin-Yuan Task Force: Bionic sucker adhesion microneedles

Recently, Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Professor Zhao Jin-Yuan Task Force get the latest research results in the field of design and application of microneedles. Competition for survival characteristics inspired by the structure of the chuck members of the group by nature octopus, mussels and adhesion principles bacteria polymyxa, by a method of copying a template microneedles having antimicrobial wet adhesion of the preparation, and for wearable administration . The research results \”Bioinspired Adhesive and Antibacterial Microneedles for Versatile Transdermal Drug Delivery\” was published in the renowned journal \” Research \” magazine, Professor Zhao Jin-Yuan for the only corresponding author of the paper. microneedles is minimally invasive, painless, non-invasive, the advantage of enhancing drug penetration, very suitable for transdermal delivery of drugs, medical concern in many fields. However, the lack of anti-bacterial adhesion and low skin still limit the practical application of microneedles. Thus, group members The chuck octopus tentacles microstructures incorporated microneedle substrate to polydopamine gel as a base material and an antimicrobial microneedles doped polypeptide – polymyxin, developed a the flexible microneedles versatility adhesion, resistance to infection. Thanks Polydopamine gel-like suction cup and surrounded by the microstructure tips of the microneedles, the microneedles may be well adapted to the skin surface, in dry and wet environments can be firmly adhered to the skin, and having self-healing properties. Further, since the polymyxin and the substrate is loaded in the tip of the microneedle, the micro antibacterial action against Gram-negative bacteria having a spectrum, facilitate storage and use. In vitro experiments demonstrated that the microneedles may have good adhesion and killing of E. coli in a flexible knuckles, rat in vivo experiments demonstrated that the microneedles may be arthritis drug release for treatment of arthritis. These results illustrate the bionic multi-functional micro-needle is expected to break the limitations of traditional microneedles, in general, the field of wearable transdermal administration to show the broad application prospects. Research work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Provincial Natural Science Foundation and other projects.