Evalynn Ellison
MIT Department: Media Arts and Science
Faculty Mentor: Prof. Canan Dagdeviren
Research Supervisor: Aastha Shah
Undergraduate Institution: University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Hometown: Brunswick, Maryland
Website: LinkedIn
Biography
Evalynn Ellison is a rising senior majoring in Chemical Engineering on the Biotechnology track at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She aims to pursue a Ph.D. to explore the intersection between technology and biology. Her academic interests include biomedical engineering, tissue engineering, and personalized medicine. She was first exposed to research when she compared the virulence of different Klebsiella pneumoniae strains at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. Evalynn then went to Baylor College of Medicine, where she worked to elucidate the pathway that controls NIX, a protein involved in the apoptosis of cells, in immune cells. Last summer, Evalynn attended MSRP and created and tested a biological system to create a phenotypic indication of successful in-frame cloning of cancer therapeutics. This summer, Evalynn is excited to work with the Conformable Decoders group, creating an ultrasound-responsive drug delivery system across a mucosal membrane.
Abstract
Ultrasound-Responsive Phospholipid-Coated Microbubbles for Drug Delivery Across Mucosa
Evalynn Ellison1, Aastha Shah2, and Canan Dagdeviren, Ph.D.2
1 Department of Chemical, Biochemical and Environmental Engineering, University of
Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)
2 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT)
Ultrasound-responsive materials have shown to increase the precision and targeting in drug delivery across the skin. However, many areas of the body have a mucosal layer that
impedes the effectiveness of passive drug diffusion. Microbubbles have been highly effective as a drug delivery vehicle due to the adaptability of their coatings. Phospholipid-coated
microbubbles increase the stability and lend amphiphilic properties to the drug carrier. Our
focus is to develop a proof of concept for an ultrasound-responsive phospholipid-coated
microbubble drug carrier for a new drug of interest. First, a theoretical diffusion model is created to inform the size and physicochemistry of the microbubble. To verify the model, the lipophilic drug is embedded into the microbubbles and exposed to low-frequency ultrasound. The enhancement in the penetration of the drug in response to ultrasound is studied across an artificial mucosa. We hypothesize that the ultrasound-responsive, amphiphilic carrier system will allow for more direct, controlled, and effective drug release.
