Profile

Professional career

• 04/2020 - 04/2021
  Research AssistentResearch Group Chemical Reaction EngineeringUniversity of Leipzig
• since 04/2021
  PhD StudentResearch Group Chemical Reaction EngineeringUniversity of Leipzig

Education

• 10/2013 - 10/2016
  Bachelor of Science - ChemistryUniversity of Leipzig
• 10/2016 - 04/2020
  Master of Science - ChemistryUniversity of Leipzig

Porous glasses are amorphous silica materials with narrow pore size distribution in the range of 0.3 to 1000 nm. Their flexible geometric shape, the tunable pore sizes and the reactive surface secure their spot as an important material in a multitude of practical applications such as mechanically stable catalyst support or adsorbent. In recent years the interest in personalized medicine has risen and new routes for sustained and time-controlled drug delivery are investigated. Thereby transdermal drug delivery has the advantage of being a painless, non-invasive method, that shows a more uniform pharmacokinetic profile of the drug minimizing risks of toxic side effects. Porous glasses with individually tunable pore sizes and pore volumes can be model systems for studying the effects of sustained release kinetics. Thereby exploring the relations between textural properties and drug release kinetics. This research aims to design ultra-thin porous glass membranes that can be tuned via surface modification and pore control as customizable drug carriers. The development of innovative geometric shapes of porous glasses for various novel applications in medicine is at the forefront of this work.

Porous Glasses as Transdermal Drug Delivery Systems (TDDS)

Porous glass is to be studied as a potential transdermal delivery systems for various drugs. Due to their tunable pore size and volume as well as their large surface area, porous glasses present advantageous and novel properties for these applications.

Student works are possible in our research group, where material science aspects are studied. Possible student works include functionalization of the glass surface, modification of the pore structure and the development as well as improvement of methods to obtain ultra-thin and flexible glass membranes.

Students interested in the construction and automation of a model plant-system to stretch form porous glasses are also welcome to apply. Basic knowledge or interest in LabView, coding and engineering are preferred.

It is further possible to do student works with our research partners in the pharmacological department of the University of Leipzig (Rudolf-Boehm-Institute for pharmacology and toxicology). Thereby drug loading and release kinetics are investigated via HPLC mass spectrometry. Furthermore, biocompatibility, adhesion to skin and toxic effects of the innovative drug carrier are examined.

Student works are possible in English and German.