Remote control of an implantable nanofluidic device for drug delivery

Chronic pathologies affect a large part of the adult population and often cause hospitalization, reduced quality of life, and even death. Therefore, treating these pathologies is a critical issue that is further complicated by problems related to traditional drug administration methods and patients adherence. The need to overcome these limits is leading to the development of innovative devices for controlled drug release; however, although research is making great strides, a fully implantable device, that allows for fine control of drug dosage after implantation, is still an unmet clinical need. In this context, nanofluidic membranes are up-and-coming devices. They enable a controlled release without any mechanical component due to their nanometric channels, which allow a concentration-independent drug flow. Furthermore, by applying a voltage to the channel walls through electrodes and, thus, modifying their surface charge, it is possible to modulate the release when necessary. This thesis aims to design a printed circuit board (PCB) for the fine bipolar control of a silicon nanofluidic membrane; moreover, the monitoring of the patient’s physiological state is made possible by including a temperature sensor. The final device is remotely controllable via Bluetooth Low Energy for temperature data exchange and voltage modulation, allowing the medician to become aware of an eventual unhealthy condition and decide if and how to release the drug accordingly. Since the final device is meant to be fully implantable, the designed system must take up as little space as possible and promote long battery life. First, the components have been chosen based on their dimensions and manageability, and then simulations have been performed on LTspice to evaluate the designed system. After programming the microcontroller to drive the voltage and receive temperature data from the sensor, the Bluetooth communication has been set, thus enabling the final user to interact with the device through a dedicated interface. Then, the system’s proper functioning has been experimentally verified, and, finally, through electrochemical tests, the device has been interfaced directly with the membrane, which responded positively. The designed system has proven to enable a fine control of the drug release, providing a promising strategy for tunable drug delivery.