Microlenses for microneedle fabrication

KANG Li Feng (Group Leader, Pharmacy)

February 12, 2016

12 Feb 2016 NUS researchers developed photomasks consisting of microlenses to make microneedles.A team led by Dr KANG Lifeng from the Department of Pharmacy in NUS has created a novel way of producing photomasks containing microlens to guide light in the process of photolithography. The photomasks containing microlenses are useful to produce polymeric microneedles to deliver therapeutic agents through skin. These microneedles can enhance skin permeability and hence have potential applications in the pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical industry.

One of the team members, Ms FONG Hui Min Michelle, an undergraduate student, won the Best Poster Award in Pharmaceutical Technology at the Annual Pharmacy Research Awareness Symposium 2015 with her poster titled “Fabrication of Photomasks Consisting Microlenses for the Production of Polymeric Microneedle Array”.

KangLF

A. Schematic of microinjection fabrication with microscopic image obtained after fabrication. B. Schematic of fabrication of microlens array and photomask consisting of microlenses. C Schematic of sharp microneedle fabrication and microscopic image of sharp microneedles fabricated. [Image credits: Himanshu KATHURIA, Fong Hui Min Michelle and KANG Lifeng]

References

1. Kathuria H, Kochhar JS, Fong MH, Hashimoto M, Iliescu C, Yu H, Kang L. “Polymeric Microneedle Array Fabrication by Photolithography.” Journal of Visualized Experiments. (2015) 105:e52914. doi: 10.3791/52914.

2. Kathuria H, Fong MH, Kang L. “Fabrication of photomasks consisting microlenses for the production of polymeric microneedle array.” Drug Delivery and Translational Research. (2015) 5(4):438.