Department Seminar Series: Jorge Almodovar, Ph.D.

Title: 

Engineering biodegradable microneedle patches to deliver pain medication for farm animals

In this talk, I will be presenting a project where we engineered a polymeric biodegradable microneedle patch for the delivery of meloxicam, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used to manage pain in livestock. Initially, our group developed microneedle patches composed of chitosan and meloxicam. We successfully demonstrated the construction of the patches, its degradability, and its capacity to withstand sterilization using ethylene gas. Mechanical testing analysis indicated that the patch should be capable of penetrating animal skin and indeed this was observed using cadaver tissue. COMSOL modeling revealed that the drug release profile depends on the geometry of the patch as well as the number of needles. Unfortunately, the chitosan patch failed to release meloxicam at the desired rate. Consequently, we modified the patch formulation by creating a blend of biodegradable polymers in the formation of the microneedle patches. Patches of a blend of chitosan, collagen, and polyvinyl alcohol were created. This new formulation successfully formed microneedle patches capable of penetrating animal skin. The patches degrade at a controllable rate releasing meloxicam in the desired manner. In vivo testing demonstrated that the patch was successful at delivering meloxicam to pigs, with some of the drug entering the bloodstream and the rest remaining in the tissue. This is a promising technology to manage pain in livestock in an easy and efficient manner. 

Dr. Almodovar joined UMBC in January 2025. His lab's research focuses on the tailoring and engineering of polymeric-based biomaterials for fundamental studies and applications in therapeutics, cell manufacturing, and tissue repair. 

We offer the seminars to a hybrid audience. 

Please join in-person (see meeting location at the top of this event listing) or via WEBEX

Following the talk students are invited to a Pizza Lunch with the speaker. RSVP requested via myUMBC.