Tejal Desai: Micro- and Nanotechnologies for Therapeutic Delivery

Medicine is moving far beyond just popping a pill. Come hear a bioengineer explore fascinating new means of medication delivery and share new cellular discoveries. Desai's research brings together advanced micro- and nanotechnologies for insights into cellular behavior in engineered environments, and novel pharmacologic delivery approaches to address disease treatment and clinical translation. She has pioneered the concept of thin film nanoporous devices that can provide zero order release over months. This platform technology can be used to deliver both proteins and small molecules to constrained spaces in the body. One major focus of her lab is ocular drug delivery, and she is actively working on therapeutic applications for age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma. In this Bay Area Science Festival event, she will focus on the development of this technology and the role of micro- and nanotechnologies for therapeutic drug delivery.