HYDROGEL SYSTEMS FOR BIOSENSORS AND DRUG DELIVERY

Abstract

Hydrogels are water-swollen polymeric materials used in a wide range of biomedical applications, including drug delivery, wound care, contact lens, and sensors. Owing to their tunability, biocompatibility, and tissue-like mechanical properties, they are promising candidates for realizing smart diagnostic and therapeutic systems that can respond to specific physical and biological stimuli. However, current This thesis explores the usage of hydrogels in drug delivery and biosensors and plans on addressing the gaps in each case by creating novel hydrogel systems. We firstly created a wirelessly controlled photodegradable hydrogel as a drug delivery system to enable operation in deep tissues. Secondly, we developed a sensing technology that utilizes a DNA hydrogel and a near-field communication (NFC) sensor to detect wound infections for surgical or chronic wounds and wirelessly transmit data continuously without disturbing the wound site. Lastly, we used microfluidics and a DNA circuit to create a hydrogel drug delivery system that can respond to.