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Medical Applications

Of

Polymer Chemistry

Eric Wan | GSA Capstone | 11/12/17


Overview
Medicine has come a long way since the dawn of civilization. From shamans and

witch doctors to penicillin and laser surgery, science has played a large role in the growth

and development of the medical field. For much of modern medicine, Chemists and

Chemistry have played a large role in designing and creating cures and treatments for

diseases. Ethers, Aspirin, Insulin, and Morphine are all common drugs that people or

hospitals use on a daily basis, and all of these compounds were isolated, extracted, and

mass produced by chemists and chemical engineers.

Today, Polymer Chemistry has taken the drivers seat of the research and

development of new medical technology. Chemists and Chemical Engineers have created

various medical devices and tools on a microscopic scale. There has also been much

research conducted on biomaterials and polymer sensors. Biomaterials are critical

because they could offer many uses within and outside the body during surgery, recovery,

and as clothing. Polymer sensors have many uses in detection. These sensors can be used

to detect specific compounds, which proves to be highly useful since the detection of

various dangerous compounds can be used to improve public health.

Polymer Chemistry is a cross-disciplinary field that has many uses in todays

world. The field of Medicine is no exception, and with research and development in this

field it is highly conceivable that many breakthroughs can be made.

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Macromolecules
Molecules are the fundamental building blocks of life - they create all the various

tools and mechanisms which power and sustain life. They are also quite small, smaller

than you may think - think 10^-6 meters, or, the size of a single human red blood cell,

and even smaller than that. This field of science delving into the microscopic is known as

nanotechnology, or technology on a submicroscopic scale, and has already had a

profound impact on the world. Novel inventions in the forms of improved vaccinations,

microscopic bandages, and complex medicine delivery mechanisms have already been

realized today, thanks to nanotechnology.

Breakthrough research developed at some of the most prestigious institutes of

higher learning in the United States of America have led to the discovery of new methods

of effective vaccine and medicine delivery. Researchers at the University of Minnesota

have discovered that nano-sized molecules can be effectively used to capture specifically

marked proteins (Xu, 2011). Not only can we now interact with specific molecules in a

safe fashion, we now have the potential to directly attack or impact specific parts of the

body and purify solutions. Why does purity matter? When conducting experiments and

creating medicine, the purer a substance is, the more accurate the result will be. As

researchers need to accurately study the bodys reactions to various stimuli, purity is a

must. Through more pure forms of recombinant protein production, we can achieve

accurate results and more confident data. Since proteins are used constantly by the body

for the continuous construction and destruction of muscles, tissue, and organs, by better

purifying recombinant proteins we can more effectively create medicines and solutions to

health problems and diseases such as muscular dystrophy, Alzheimers, Parkinson's, and

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more. The benefits to a cure for these diseases is mind-blowing. According to the

Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases from the University of California San Francisco,

Alzheimer's and Parkinson's collectively costs the United States over 200 billion dollars

annually. The annual global cost of Alzheimers is over 604 Billion USD, roughly 1% of

the worlds GDP (The Cost of Dementia). Additionally, as the baby boomer generation

slides towards retirement, the burden on the current healthcare system will only grow,

highlighting the need to develop a cure for these neurodegenerative diseases.

Another discovery in the field of nanotechnological applications to medicine was

made by several Indian researches working on vaccine delivery methods. The researchers

investigated the potential of using Poly(-caprolactone) microspheres as a vaccine carrier

within the human body. The researchers tested various polymers such as polylactic acid

(PLA) and Polyglycolide acid (PGA) and found that the polymers have had an effect as

impactful as that of a conventional vaccination routine. Out of all the polymers tested,

Polycaprolactone (PCL) had the best results. This was due to the chemical nature of PCL

that made it less degradable and created a less acidic environment, which runs the risk of

lessening the antigenicity of the vaccine, and thus was able to more effectively deliver the

vaccine (Jameela, 1996). We could see changes in the future in how vaccines are

deployed. We could see vaccines delivered orally, through microspheres within food, or

within a drink.

The process to discover these new technologies is complex. Polymers can be

synthesized in a variety of processes, such as copolymerization, when two monomers

combine to form one polymer and terpolymerization, where three monomers combine

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into one polymer (Peppas, 1994). These creation processes result in products that then

need to be tested for toxicity and allergic response, in addition to other checks. This

safety check is a multistep process which is mandated by the government. What

ultimately results is a product that is not only effective but also safe for the consumer. As

more and more technologies emerge, action must be taken to more quickly release new

medicines to the people who need them.

Biomaterials
Todays technologies have pushed man on the brink of unprecedented lifespan.

This development has been directed by biomaterials, which have assisted in aiding the

body in recovering from previously fatal diseases and injuries. A cross disciplinary field,

Biomaterial technology encompasses chemistry, biology and engineering in its path

towards revolutionizing healthcare, medicine, and the world.

Biomaterials have been used in medicine throughout history. Early biomaterial

technology included wooden teeth and glass eyes, a famous example being George

Washingtons ivory teeth and the wooden peg legs in pirate stories of old. In the 20th

century a revolution in the field of plastics and medicine led to the development of

synthetic polymers, stainless steel, PMMA and cellulose acetate (Langer). This

revolution led to the implementation of these materials into the human body, helping

usher in the age of modern medicine. Hip replacement surgery, artificial hearts, dialysis

machines, all of these lifesaving devices would have been impossible had it not been for

the technological developments of the 20th century. There are still however many

challenges in the field of biomaterials. Current medical techniques such as chemotherapy,

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for example, still affect healthy cells, and create highly negative side effects on the

human body. Designing protein arrays could however lead to research breakthroughs. A

field of proteins on a chip, scientists and researchers can test various effects of

compounds on the building blocks of the body, as well as the development of antigen-

specific treatments for various diseases including cancer.

The welding of technology and the body has been a movement that has grown

slowly but surely. With the advent of new biomaterial technology that demonstrates a

clear compatibility with the body, it is conceivable that cyborgs are not quite far in the

future. Artificial organ technology has already been developed and used within people for

the past few decades, and with the advent of new implants to replace eyes and lungs,

diseases that affect the body will soon be a trouble of the past (Human). There are also

schematics and thought concepts of implanted sensors within the body which can provide

real time updates to the status of ones health. Such implants would constantly read the

body for disease and could immediately apply treatment should a disease be detected

(Human). This technology would radically change public health, as people would know if

they were asymptomatic carriers of disease. This would greatly improve public health

and would make the transmission of disease from person to person even more difficult, if

not near impossible. The health revolution proposed by this technology is far reaching

and the social benefits we would reap are immense. The many billions of hours lost per

year due to sickness would be avoided and productivity would surely increase.

Novel research has been done on silks from nature. These natural silks, derived

from silkworms, spiders, and other animals have many interesting properties such as

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elasticity and strength which, when combined with the silks resistance to dissolving in

common solvents such as water and blood, give it the potential to be used within the body

(Altman). This potential to be used within the body lends ideas to its use such as a mesh

or platform for other devices to be mounted or implemented in. Other uses as slings or

internal bandages additionally come to mind.

Applications of this research in sports medicine and surgery could theoretically

revolutionize the way we care for our patients. Less invasive and more precise surgery

could lessen recovery time and put people back to work and on the field, a win win

situation for athletes, doctors, and sports fans.

Sometimes, researchers want to examine what exactly happens inside the body

during an experiment. When scientists monitor reactions and tissues within the body, they

frequently use chemical and biological processes which arent very effective (Appel).

This technology however has been usurped by new optical imaging and Fluorescence

Microscopic technology. These new imaging techniques are much less invasive and much

more accurate, which can mean better diagnosis and better healthcare, which is a plus for

all parties involved. There are also research benefits to this technology. The ability to

quantitatively evaluate the structure of scaffolds in bioreactors within tissue will lead to a

speed up in research, another plus to the public health of America and the world (Appel).

There are many new intriguing fields of research done in laboratories around the

United States, all of which have the potential to revolutionize the way we care for our

sick and elderly. If perfected, these developments all have the potential to change the

world.

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Polymer Sensors
There have been many advances in polymer science technology. Polymer sensors

are composed of molecules that exhibit a measurable reaction to a particular stimulus in

their environment. This is highly critical as these polymer sensors could be used to detect

presence of potentially life threatening molecules, or to evaluate the results of an

experiment in a lab. Polymer sensors are therefore highly important and necessary to

ensure function in the body and thusly important for research. Artificial sensors

comprised of antibodies, enzymes, and other molecules can be used as receptors for

various biological functions within the body. However, they suffer reliability issues,

making them poor sensing devices. Recent advances in molecular implanted polymers

have overcome this issue; these artificial sensors not only behave and function similar to

natural, biological sensors, but also are much more stable. Atrazine, a compound known

for causing organ damage in animals, poses a threat to the human health. Scientists from

the United States military research laboratory have recently discovered that a certain

molecularly imprinted polymer can be used to detect Atrazine with a high degree of

accuracy. The imprinted polymer, which uses Lanthanide ions can detect Atrazine at

concentrations of parts per trillion and smaller (Jenkins, 2001). This high degree of

detection, combined with the polymers usage of luminescent Lanthanide as a signal

transducer results in a high degree of accuracy.

Scientists have also developed highly sensitive sensors for detecting Hydrogen

gas. The importance of this is due to the highly combustive nature of Hydrogen - it reacts

violently, creating massive explosions. Historical examples of the volatility of Hydrogen

include the Hindenburg crash, which killed hundreds and destroyed the airship industry.

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The researchers who developed the sensor laced carbon nanotubes with Palladium

nanoparticles (Kong, 2001). This discovery is significant because it functions well even

at room temperature. How it senses the Hydrogen particles is because the Palladium

becomes electrically conductive. This conductance can be used to then calculate the

amount of Hydrogen gas in the air, which in turn gives a reading on the concentration. A

similar process to this is also used to detect explosives. By using transduction, sensors

can detect the presence of compounds such as trinitrotoluene, picric acid, and tetryl (Toal,

2006). This is significant as engineers can now create hand-held devices which are

capable of detecting explosive matter, which can be used where dogs can not. This

process is also less invasive, as it does not require opening and searching peoples bags

and suitcases. Thus, the process of transduction represents a significant leap in terms of

science and liberty. A pressing question that you may have had after learning of these

discoveries is, what exactly is this device known as a transducer? Why is it so critical

towards these new innovations? The transducer is a device which converts mechanical

energy to electrical energy and vice versa (Pelrine). The transducer consists of an

electroactive polymer connected to two electrodes, which when triggered, result in a

slight bend in the polymer. This bend can then be measured to give a reading on a

specific measured factor.

Through a combination of many phenomena of physics and chemistry, devices

have been created which can save the lives of countless people. Polymer sensing

technology is key to many issues that society today faces.

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Global Impact
The impact that Polymer Chemistry technology can have on the world is

immense. As cited earlier, the annual global cost of Alzheimers is over 604 Billion USD,

roughly 1% of the worlds GDP (The Cost of Dementia). Should a cheap and effective

cure for Alzheimers be found, the money saved can be put back into the economy, and

have far-reaching impacts in the future.

As more and more people are born and rates of disease increase, there will be an

ever increasing need for new medicines and medicine technology. Thus it is imperative

that we research and develop cures from the field of Polymer Chemistry.

Conclusion
With the rising costs of healthcare, and the ever increasing population of the

world, it is absolutely necessary that we do not fall behind in the battle against disease.

Polymer Chemistry is a unique field that offers potential. Current research has shown that

using certain Polymers we can create less invasive vaccines, be used during and after

surgery to aid in healing, and to detect dangerous compounds.

These benefits signal the importance of Polymer Chemistry, and thus it is

imperative to spend more on research in the field of Polymer Chemistry.

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Works Cited
Altman, G. H., Diaz, F., Jakuba, C., Calabro, T., Horan, R. L., Chen, J., . . . Kaplan, D. L.

(2002, June 19). Silk-Based Biomaterials (Tech.). Retrieved September 19, 2017,

from Semantic Scholar website

Appel, A. A., Anastasio, M. A., Larson, J. C., & Brey, E. M. (2013). Imaging challenges

in biomaterials and tissue engineering. Biomaterials, 34(28), 66156630.

http://doi.org/10.1016/j.biomaterials.2013.05.033

Human Enhancement and the Means of Achieving It. (n.d.). American Association for

the Advancement of Science. Retrieved September 18, 2017, from

https://www.aaas.org/sites/default/files/migrate/uploads/HEandMeans_of_Achiev

ngIt.pdf.

Jameela, S., Suma, N., Misra, A., Raghuvanshi, R., Ganga, S., & Jayakrishnan, A.

(1996). Poly(-caprolactone) microspheres as a vaccine carrier. Current Science,

70(7), 669-671. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/24097391

Jenkins, A. L., Lin, R., & Jensen, J. L. (2001, January 31). Molecularly imprinted

polymer sensors for pesticide and insecticide detection in water [PDF]. London:

The Analyst.

Kong, Jing, et al. Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes for Molecular Hydrogen Sensors.

Wiley-VCH, 14 Sept. 2001.

Langer, R., & Tirrel, D. A. (2004). Designing materials for biology and medicine (Vol.

428, Nature, Tech.). London, UK: Nature Publishing Group.

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Pelrine, R. E., Kornbluh, R. D., Pei, Q., & Eckerle, J. S. (2004). U.S. Patent No. US

6809462 B2. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Peppas, N., & Langer, R. (1994). New Challenges in Biomaterials. Science, 263(5154),

1715-1720. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2883556

The Cost of Dementia. (n.d.). Retrieved September 16, 2017, from

https://ind.ucsf.edu/supporting-our-work/cost-dementia

Toal, J. S., Trogler, C. W., (2006, April 27). Polymer sensors for nitroaromatic

explosives detection [PDF]. London: Journal of Materials Chemistry.

Xu, F., Geiger, J. H., Baker, G. L., & Bruening, M. L. (2011). Polymer Brush-Modified

Magnetic Nanoparticles for His-Tagged Protein Purification. Langmuir: The ACS

Journal of Surfaces and Colloids, 27(6), 31063112.

http://doi.org/10.1021/la1050404

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