Lactose Crystals for Drug Delivery Implants

Lactose Crystals for Drug Delivery Implants

Submitted by Aikaterini (Katerina) Mantzavinou of the Cima Lab at the Koch Institute

MIT Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Koch Institute at MIT

Clusters of lactose crystals can be seen captured inside a silicone lava-like matrix, creating a microporous material useful for drug delivery implants. The image was taken to inspect the cross-section of a supersoft, tissue-like silicone elastomer used to create drug delivery implants for cancer therapy. Lactose powder was used as a sacrificial agent to form micropores in the silicone matrix. These micropores will ultimately form interconnected channels through which drug can be delivered from the implant.

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