Suspicious Behavior

Scared of needles? We’ve got the invention for you!

BBSRC-funded Dr Ryan Donnelly from the School of Pharmacy at Queen’s University Belfast could revolutionise the way drugs are delivered with his novel microneedle technology.

In the images above you can see the microneedle patches. When applied, these patches feel like a cat’s tongue or Velcro as they pierce the skin without causing pain or bleeding. Once attached, the patches swell, turning into a jelly-like material that keeps the holes in the skin open and allows continuous delivery of medicines or vaccines. They can also extract fluid from the skin for patient monitoring purposes. 

This technology, as well as being a treat for anyone with a needle phobia, could make a real difference to premature babies who are not well suited to repeated use of needles. And for the millions of patients who require all sorts of treatments using conventional needles, microneedle patches, that only need to be applied twice a week without having to visit a healthcare centre or professional, would greatly improve their treatment options.

For more information watch our video at http://youtu.be/cNwVvcXLiWc

Top image from Stanley Leary, Georgia Tech Communications Division

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Abby McDonald (via dirtyyywork)

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