BIOGRAPHY
Nazly Pirmoradi received her M.A.Sc. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from University of British Columbia, Canada, in 2006 and 2011, respectively. She joined BSAC as a postdoctoral scholar in Feb. 2012. Her research interests are in the design and development of biomedical microdevices, lab on a chip systems, and microactuators.

Implantable Micro Drug Delivery System [BPN675]
Implantable drug delivery devices that allow for remote, repeatable, and reliable drug delivery are expected to greatly improve the efficacy of medical treatments in the near future. However, few delivery systems to date have met the necessary requirements - sufficient drug storage, precision control over drug delivery, and on-demand activation - to be broadly useful. In this project, we develop an implantable drug delivery device that can be remotely controlled for several years without replacement. The device relies on several critical components: (i) pumping source, (ii) remotely triggered valves, and (iii) microfluidic channels and device capsule. We investigate different pumping mechanisms, including a magnetic pump triggered remotely by an external magnetic field, and an electrolytic pump that receives its power from an external RF source. The remotely triggered valves are realized using magnetically functionalized nano-membranes, which allow for precision control over the rate of drug delivery by altering the membranes’ porosity. The device capsule, made of a biocompatible polymer, is designed to link all components of the drug delivery device via microfluidic channels. These devices can potentially be utilized in the treatment of diseases such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and cancer.