Conformal printed electronics on flexible substrates and inflatable catheters using lathe-based aerosol jet printing.

With the growth of additive manufacturing (AM), there has been increasing demand for fabricating conformal electronics that directly integrate with larger components to enable unique functionality. However, fabrication of conformal electronics is challenging because devices must merge with host substrates regardless of curvilinearity, topography, or substrate material. In this work, we employ aerosol jet (AJ) printing, an AM method for jet printing electronics using ink-based materials, and a custom-made lathe mechanism for mounting flexible substrates and 3D objects on a rotating axis.

Gold Nanostars Obviate Limitations to Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (LITT) for the Treatment of Intracranial Tumors.

Purpose: Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) is an effective minimally invasive treatment option for intracranial tumors. Our group produced plasmonics-active gold nanostars (GNS) designed to preferentially accumulate within intracranial tumors and amplify the ablative capacity of LITT.

Experimental Design: The impact of GNS on LITT coverage capacity was tested in ex vivo models using clinical LITT equipment and agarose gel-based phantoms of control and GNS-infused central "tumors.

Intravital optical imaging for immune cell tracking after photoimmunotherapy with plasmonic gold nanostars.

Bladder cancer has been ranked as one of the most commonly occurring cancers in men and women with approximately half of the diagnoses being the late stage and/or metastatic diseases. We have developed a novel cancer treatment by combining gold nanostar-mediated photothermal therapy with checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy to treat bladder cancer. Experiment results with a murine animal model demonstrated that our developed photoimmunotherapy therapy is more efficacious than any individual studied treatment.

Plasmonic gold nanostars for synergistic photoimmunotherapy to treat cancer.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death and there is an urgent need to improve cancer management. We have developed an innovative cancer therapy named Synergistic Immuno Photothermal Nanotherapy (SYMPHONY) by combining gold nanostars (GNS)-mediated photothermal ablation with checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy. Our previous studies have demonstrated that SYMPHONY photoimmunotherapy not only treats the primary tumor but also dramatically amplifies anticancer immune responses in synergy with checkpoint blockade immunotherapy to treat remote and unresectable cancer metastasis.

Safety and efficacy of intravesical chemotherapy and hyperthermia in the bladder: results of a porcine study.

Background: Hyperthermia (heating to 43 °C) activates the innate immune system and improves bladder cancer chemosensitivity.

Objective: To evaluate the tissue penetration and safety of convective hyperthermia combined with intravesical mitomycin C (MMC) pharmacokinetics in live porcine bladder models using the Combat bladder recirculation system (BRS).

Methods: Forty 60 kg-female swine were anesthetized and catheterized with a 3-way, 16 F catheter.