POS8-1051
Polymer-based microstructural biomaterials for the local delivery of cytotoxic agents
Topic
S8. Frontiers of Functional Polymers in Biology and Medicine
When and Where
Sep 30, 2026
08:30 - 09:30
Room 301 (Grand Ballroom)
Session Chairs
Heesuk KIM
Jinhye BAE
Presenter(s)
Kamil Rusztyn (Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Ludwika Pasteura 1, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland;)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
Research in the area of biomaterials, enabling localized and controlled drug release, remains a major challenge in modern materials science. This is particularly important in the context of cancer treatment, where the use of such solutions may help reduce the side effects associated with currently applied therapies. In this work, we propose a novel technique for producing micro- and nanoscale polymer-based systems directly on a solid substrate. The study aims to determine how polymer type and fabrication conditions influence the properties of such systems, including their biological response.
Polymer layers are deposited on solid substrates by spin coating and transformed into isolated drug-containing microstructures by thermally induced dewetting. Both biodegradable and non-biodegradable polymers are investigated in order to compare their physicochemical and functional performance. For this reason, the obtained systems have been extensively characterized using complementary methods, including optical and fluorescence microscopy, infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Preliminary results demonstrate that the proposed fabrication strategy enables reproducible formation of polymer microstructures and successful incorporation of cytotoxic agents into the developed carriers. Initial in vitro studies performed on the MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer cell line indicate that drug-loaded systems induce a stronger biological effect than the corresponding drug-free controls, supporting the feasibility of the proposed concept.
The presented approach provides a versatile platform for studying how polymer type and fabrication conditions influence the properties of polymer-based biomaterials designed for local delivery of bioactive compounds. More broadly, the work may contribute to the development of polymer systems potentially applicable not only in anticancer therapy but also for the delivery of other active compounds.
Polymer layers are deposited on solid substrates by spin coating and transformed into isolated drug-containing microstructures by thermally induced dewetting. Both biodegradable and non-biodegradable polymers are investigated in order to compare their physicochemical and functional performance. For this reason, the obtained systems have been extensively characterized using complementary methods, including optical and fluorescence microscopy, infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Preliminary results demonstrate that the proposed fabrication strategy enables reproducible formation of polymer microstructures and successful incorporation of cytotoxic agents into the developed carriers. Initial in vitro studies performed on the MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer cell line indicate that drug-loaded systems induce a stronger biological effect than the corresponding drug-free controls, supporting the feasibility of the proposed concept.
The presented approach provides a versatile platform for studying how polymer type and fabrication conditions influence the properties of polymer-based biomaterials designed for local delivery of bioactive compounds. More broadly, the work may contribute to the development of polymer systems potentially applicable not only in anticancer therapy but also for the delivery of other active compounds.
