Back at Chesterfield today! Even though it’s Friday, everyone in the lab was working as hard as ever. Will and I started off the morning with a jam-packed session of activity as he explained to me the three main projects he is working on this summer. His first and most prominent project is working with PVA (Polyvinyl alcohol) a soft but sturdy material that has a widespread array of applications. He is currently developing a PVA material to be used in patients with arthritis, specifically with repairs in the joint between the toe and the foot. Overtime, the cartilage in these joints deteriorates, so Will is trying to develop a self-healing material that can act as cartilage for patients. The self-healing properties are extremely important because patients shouldn’t have to obtain replacement fixes again and again. The material is made of PVA, water, and melamine, a nitrogen-rich material used to strengthen the PVA through hydrogen bonding. The PVA samples are made by mixing solid PVA powder and water in a flask that’s placed in a hot oil bath. Overtime, the PVA will dissolve and turn the liquid into an amorphous structure.
The second project we dove into was the use of hydrogels. Will is helping Shelley Huang, a famous breast cancer surgeon and author, develop an injectable biomaterial for breast cancer tumor resection. The goal is to create a colored material that can be injected into the patient’s tissue while retaining its shape around the tumor so surgeons can more easily locate the tumor before surgical operations. In the lab, we tested this theory by injecting an arbitrary facial cream into a matrix of polyethylene glycol and seeing if it would hold its shape. (Refer to the photos for more detail). The polyethylene glycol (yellow jello-like substance) mimics a patients tissue and the facial cream acts as the injectable biomaterial. Ultimately, if it can be proven that something as generic as the facial cream can be injected while retaining its shape, commonly produced creams or gels can be dyed and up for consideration to use to enhance this medical procedure.
It was brought to my attention today that Dr. Ken Gall, the head professor of this lab, owns a startup company known for developing a new material called polycarbonate urethane (PCU). The plastic-like material is slightly malleable yet substantial, so it retains its shape well. Most importantly, it can be 3D printed easily. The astonishing thing is that few materials with the malleability and durability of PCU can be 3D printed on a mass scale. Dr. Gall is using this creation to develop tracheal support structures for patients that may need implants in their throats to breathe properly. The intrinsic qualities of PCU makes it a good material for this application because it will work effectively, last long, and its dimensions can be tailored for each respective patient. Furthermore, the use of such support structures is far more efficacious than simply cutting a hole in a patient’s trachea so they can breathe – it is a viable and cost-effective solution. In the lab, Will is currently testing the PCU using a laser cutters to determine its true durability, but there are already several cases at Duke Hospital in which the PCU tracheal support structures are up for consideration to be used!
In the afternoon, we carried out tests for each of the three projects. For project one, we poured the batch of PVA that will had prepared into dog bone molds so they could be frozen later for testing. For project two, we checked on the test tube we had injected with facial cream earlier to see how it retained its shape; it did fairly well. Finally, for project three, we spent a few hours at the laser cutter making dog bone samples of the PCU. This was hands down the most enjoyable part of the day since I single-handedly cut two dog bones with the laser cutter by myself! I have never worked with a machine so powerful and was happy that Will gave me the opportunity to do so. The dog bones I cut are going to be used for future strength testing to see just how viable PCU will be as a tracheal support material.
Today was a short, but fun day. Looking back at this week, I have come a long way. I have learned about countless test procedures and several unparalleled projects that immediately captivated my interest. Lab work is definitely where a part of my passion lies, yet I am thankful for the weekend to come so I can take a quick break before going back to Chesterfield on Monday.