Nanoscale Additive Manufacturing of Buccal Microneedle Patches for Enhanced Trans-Mucosal Drug Transport

Project Overview

Buccal drug delivery offers a promising non-invasive route for systemic administration of small molecules and biologics but is limited by poor mucosal permeability and enzymatic degradation. This project focuses on designing and fabricating microneedle patches using two-photon polymerisation (2PP) additive manufacturing, leveraging the CELLINK Nanoscribe Quantum X bio 3D printer at Aston University.

What You Will Do

The project involves engineering microneedle geometries optimized for buccal tissue insertion, mechanical strength, and control of drug release profiles using biocompatible photopolymerisable resins. Encapsulation strategies such as matrix-loading, dip-coating, and layered designs will be tested for delivering small molecules and biologics. In vitro permeation studies will evaluate trans-mucosal transport enhancement, alongside analytical assays to assess formulation integrity pre- and post-fabrication and delivery.

Expected Outcomes

The study aims to identify design parameters enabling effective penetration of keratinised and non-keratinised oral mucosa with minimal discomfort. Results will demonstrate how 2PP-manufactured microneedle patches can significantly improve the buccal delivery of diverse therapeutics, offering a platform for translational development of minimally invasive delivery systems.

Why This Matters

Improving buccal delivery can provide a convenient and less invasive alternative to injections or oral dosing, reducing enzymatic degradation and enhancing patient compliance. This research supports the innovation of drug delivery technologies that could benefit a wide range of clinical therapies.