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Dream : Faculty : Biomaterials : Michele Marcolongo
Michele Marcolongo
Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
NIH Young Investigator Award, 2001
Faculty web page
Nucleus Pulposus Replacement of the Intervertebral Disc
Over five million Americans suffer from chronic lower back pain, making it one of the most expensive health care issues today. It is believed that approximately 75% of the cases are associated with degenerative disc disease. The long-term objective of this research is to replace the nucleus pulposus with a synthetic hydrogel polymer with the goal of relieving pain (by decompressing nerve impingement) and restoring the normal biomechanics to the spinal segment. To this end, a new class of biomaterials prepared from blends of poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAAm) and a hydrophilic, biocompatible polymer (either PVA, PVP or poly(ethylene glycol)) are being investigated. The goal is to achieve an injectable, in-situ thermogeling polymer that will posses the necessary properties for a nucleus replacement (see Fig. 6).
Example REU Project: In this project, the undergraduate students would perform experiments using combinatorial, high
throughput methods to examine different blends of PNIPAAm and PVA, PVP or PEG to determine miscibility, mechanical properties, swelling, and dissolution. The effects of polymer concentration and the overall composition of the constituents on these properties will be studied.
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