Theses and Dissertations

ORCID

0009-0000-5619-3583

Advisor

Elder, Steve

Committee Member

Kim, Seeungil

Committee Member

Castaldo King, Sarah

Committee Member

Van Den Heever, David

Date of Degree

8-12-2026

Original embargo terms

Immediate Worldwide Access

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Open Access

Major

Biomedical Engineering

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

James Worth Bagley College of Engineering

Department

Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering

Abstract

Osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized by inflammation and degradation of articular cartilage, of which disease-modifying therapies are limited. Punicalagin (PUN), a polyphenol with cartilage-protective and anti-inflammatory properties, has inhibitory effects on matrix metalloproteinase-13 and pro-inflammatory cytokines. This study aims to optimize formulation of punicalagin-releasing in situ forming microparticles (PRISM) by varying polymer concentration, polymer ratio, solvent ratio, and oil-to-polymer ratio. Design of Experiment (DoE) software was used to generate 25 formulations. PRISM was created by emulsifying the polymer/drug solutions in sesame oil. Drug release data was measured via optical absorption readings and particle size determined by both scanning electron microscope (SEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Significant effects were seen for burst release, late-stage release, and injectability, while interaction effects led to nonlinear system behavior, with polymer concentration being the most significant factor of influence. These results demonstrate that PRISM formulations are tunable to optimize sustained drug delivery for osteoarthritis treatment.

Sponsorship (Optional)

Research reported was supported by NIAMS of the NIH, under award number R15AR083143.

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