Level of Education of Students Involved
Undergraduate
Faculty Sponsor
Lauren Sestito
College
Engineering
Discipline(s)
Bioengineering
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Symposium Date
Spring 4-25-2024
Abstract
Lymphatic filariasis (LF) remains a significant global health burden, affecting millions of individuals worldwide. Current treatment methods have many limitations such as variable efficacy and adverse effects, underscoring the need for new and innovative approaches. The utilization of liposomes as drug delivery vehicles is a promising strategy for the treatment of LF, as they offer unique advantages including lymphatic targeting, biocompatibility, controlled drug release, and the ability to encapsulate hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs simultaneously. This study aims to characterize drug loading efficiency in and release rates from liposomes composed of phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol by using dye molecules as proxies for common LF therapeutics like doxycycline, albendazole, and diethylcarbamazine citrate. Hydrophobic Oil Red O (ORO) dye was first assessed. The dye absorbance was characterized using a spectrophotometer, and a standard curve was developed to determine the linear range of this dye. ORO was encapsulated by mixing with a solution of liposomes in water, and naturally partitioned into the hydrophobic particles. The release of dye from liposomes was characterized over the course of hours by dialyzing a solution of ORO-loaded liposomes against deionized water, monitoring sample absorbance changes over time as dye was released. This study will improve our understanding of how drug and liposome characteristics impact drug release profiles.
Recommended Citation
Velasquez, Ashley and Sestito, Lauren, "Characterizing Drug Loading and Release in Liposomes" (2024). Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 1332.
https://scholar.valpo.edu/cus/1332
Biographical Information about Author(s)
Ashley Velazquez is a junior bioengineering student at Valparaiso University. Her research interests include healthcare applications and orthopedics. After graduation, she hopes to continue working in industry, likely orthopedics, developing implants that can help improve patients lives.