Iontophoresis instrumentation for the enhancement of gene therapy in wound healing

Martina Leistner, Samantha Wang, Ralph Etienne-Cummings, Frank Lay, Louis Born, Zahra Alikhassy, Ali Karim Ahmed, John W. Harmon

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Iontophoresis and electroporation are two progressively expanding methods that are used to enhance drug delivery into the human body. They involve the exposure of cells to an external electric field, to drive genetic drugs (plasmid) to a desired location or permeabilize the cell's membranes for the drug to pass. While electroporation has been successful in enhancing plasmid gene therapy in the past, it requires very high local voltages and is less suitable for treating large wounds. Iontophoresis refers to the application of a controlled current at typically lower voltages and is of great interest for clinical wound healing involving naked plasmid transfection. We propose an electrical stimulation setup and instrumentation for meeting the demands of this advancing field. Extensive simulations of electrode placements on rat skin models are performed in COMSOL to determine the most promising setup for in vivo iontophoresis. Electrical circuits for iontophoresis, as well as for the measurement of resulting electrical parameters, are designed, simulated, built and tested. Finally, iontophoresis is performed in vivo (on rat dorsum) using intradermally injected DNA plasmids.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationIEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems
Subtitle of host publicationFrom Dreams to Innovation, ISCAS 2017 - Conference Proceedings
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
ISBN (Electronic)9781467368520
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 25 2017
Event50th IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems, ISCAS 2017 - Baltimore, United States
Duration: May 28 2017May 31 2017

Publication series

NameProceedings - IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems
ISSN (Print)0271-4310

Other

Other50th IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems, ISCAS 2017
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityBaltimore
Period5/28/175/31/17

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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