Research Abstracts Online
January - December 2011
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
College of Pharmacy
Department of Pharmaceutics
PI: Ronald A. Siegel
Computations Supporting Drug Delivery Research
These researchers are involved in various aspects of biosensing and drug-delivery systems. They also study the materials science of hydrogels and other polymers that are used in these systems. The modeling of materials’ responses involves thermodynamic (equation of state) calculations and solutions of ordinary and partial differential equations. The researchers make extensive use of MATLAB to carry out these calculations and develop graphic presentations of the results. They also use MATLAB and COMSOL to model diffusion and reaction within or through the materials.
In a second area of research, the group is developing fast-acting intranasal delivery systems, based on prodrugs, to treat neural disorders such as epilepsy. To support this work they are developing enzyme kinetic models regarding prodrug conversion to active agent, along with pharmacokinetic models. Generally speaking, these are ordinary differential equations, which are readily integrated using MATLAB.
Keyur Desai, Undergraduate Student
Innocent S. Dlamini, Staff
Daniel J. Jung, Graduate Student
Arum Kim, Graduate Student
Isha Koonar, Graduate Student
Michael C. Maring, Undergraduate Student