Nanomedicine, defined as nanotechnology applied to health, is a rapidly increasing research area worldwide. Controlled drug delivery technique contributing to human health care aims at improving the efficiency of drugs and minimize the toxic side effects. This multidisciplinary scientific approach can be expected to improve patient compliance and convenience.

Nanosized particles or capsules, which contain embedded physiologically active compounds have shown advantage as a drug carrier over the microparticles. It has been observed that a greater number of nanoparticles cross the epithelium than microparticles do.

Most of the nanoparticles used for drug delivery are polymer based, but there is also a potential in the preparation and testing of hybrid and inorganic nanosized materials as new drug delivery systems. Recently, SINTEF developed effective procedures to produce loaded nanocapsules by miniemulsion polymerisation and membrane emulsification. These techniques are cost-effective processes and very suitable for up-scaling to industrial production.

Related project:

Nanomedpart project

Contact person: Christian Simon  , Juan Yang