In situ microneedle depots for targeted drug delivery
Official title: In situ formed microneedle-like depots for spatiotemporally controlled drug delivery
Funded at Old Dominion University · NIH-11361123 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new, tiny needle-like patch idea is being tested to deliver medicines directly where they’re needed, potentially reducing side effects for liver and kidney conditions and hard-to-treat infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Old Dominion University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Norfolk, United States) |
| Project start | September 25, 2025 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $249,749 |
| NIH project number | 5R21EB037174-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11361123 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be individuals with acute liver or kidney injury or chronic biofilm infections where localized drug delivery could improve outcomes.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with injuries or infections not localized to a treatment site or those who do not require localized delivery may see limited or no direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project explores a novel drug-delivery approach that places drug depots directly into the tissue using microneedle-like structures. By bypassing widespread circulation, it aims to improve how well drugs reach infected or damaged areas while minimizing systemic exposure. The work is conducted at Old Dominion University under the guidance of Mohamadmahdi Samandari and will use animal models to study safety and how well the method distributes drugs over time.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could experience more effective treatments with fewer systemic side effects for acute liver/kidney injuries and stubborn infections.
How similar studies have gone: Previous localized delivery strategies have shown promise, but this approach seeks to improve penetration and multi-drug distribution in irregular wounds.
Where this research is happening
-
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Samandari, Mohamadmahdi — Old Dominion University
- Study coordinator: Samandari, Mohamadmahdi
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.