Nanoparticle Flow in Microneedle ChannelCarl ChenBIEN 237Simulation – COMSOL

Background - Pancreatic CancerIn 2015, there were ~ 48,000 new cases, with ~ 40,000 deaths.No effective screening process.Majority of diagnosed patients will have unresectable tumors.Cancer has genetic alterations that affect therapeutic interventions.Complete surgical resection is the only long-term cure.

http://www.cancercenter.com/pancreatic-cancer/statistics/tab/pancreatic-cancer-survival-statistics/

Microdevice Implant in the PancreasA therapeutic device would be implanted on the surface of the pancreas, next to the tumor site.

The device would have reservoirs that contain nanoparticle drugs immersed in a viscous medium. Drug delivery would be done via microneedles that penetrate into the pancreatic tissue.

device

https://pancreas.org/patients/rare-syndromes/

Device Schematic

Want to model nanoparticles leaving the reservoir through the microneedle channels over time.

COMSOL – Simulation ConditionsTransport of Diluted Species: Nanoparticles would be modeled as a solute that flows in a liquid medium.

Diffusion Driven Flow: The concentration of nanoparticles in the reservoir would affect the rate of mass transfer in the microchannel.

Time Dependent Process: Nanoparticles would start off in the reservoir, flow through the channel, and be absorbed by the pancreas over time.

ReservoirMicrochannel

To Pancreas

Workstation

Reservoir Dimensions – 300 x 300 μmChannel Dimensions – 500 x 100 μm

2-D Plot – Default ConditionsReservoir Concentration = 1 M, 1000 mol/m3

Time Scale = 1000 sec, in 10 sec intervals

Diffusivity of Solute = 1 x 10-9 m2/sFlux at Channel End = -1 x 10-3 mol/m2s

1-D Plot – Default Conditions2 = Reservoir, 5 = Channel Start, 8 = Channel End

2-D Plots – Varying DiffusivityReservoir Concentration = 1 M, 1000 mol/m3

Time Scale = 1000 sec, in 10 sec intervals

Diffusivity of Solute = 1 x 10-10 m2/s (left), 1 x 10-8 m2/s (right)Flux at Channel End = -1 x 10-3 mol/m2s

1-D Plot – Decreased DiffusivityDiffusivity of Solute = 1 x 10-10 m2/s (left)

1-D Plot – Increased DiffusivityDiffusivity of Solute = 1 x 10-8 m2/s (right)

2-D Plots – Varying FluxReservoir Concentration = 1 M, 1000 mol/m3

Time Scale = 1000 sec, in 10 sec intervals

Diffusivity of Solute = 1 x 10-9 m2/sFlux at Channel End (mol/m2s) = -1 x 10-4 (left), -1 x 10-2 (right),

1-D Plot – Decreased FluxFlux at Channel End = -1 x 10-4 mol/m2s (left)

1-D Plot – Increased FluxFlux at Channel End = -1 x 10-2 mol/m2s (right)

Snapshots Over a 300 Second Timespan

Default Low Diffusivity High Diffusivity Low Flux High Flux

Thank You!Questions?