Principles of Drug Delivery and Controlled Release Systems

1 Course Unit

This course provides fundamental understanding of controlled release system engineering with emphasis on biomaterial design and drug delivery formulation development. Students explore interdisciplinary topics at the engineering-medicine interface, including biomaterials science, pharmacokinetics, polymer chemistry, reaction kinetics, and transport phenomena. The curriculum covers controlled release system design across multiple delivery routes - transdermal, pulmonary, oral, gene therapy, and targeted cellular delivery - with particular attention to fabrication methods, FDA regulatory pathways, and physiological constraints. The course integrates four complementary components: (i) foundational lectures establishing core principles for controlled delivery system design; (ii) literature-based discussions featuring invited field experts presenting current research; (iii) comparative platform analysis through debate-style group presentations examining different delivery technologies for specific therapeutic challenges; and (iv) analytical reports with strategic recommendations, allowing students to practice design methodology and scientific proposal development. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or senior-level undergraduate in Bioengineering, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, or instructor permission. Fall 1 Course Unit