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Anuj Chauhan
Associate Professor
Ph.D., 1998, City University of New York
Biomaterials
Transport in Biological Systems
Bioseparations
Interfacial and colloidal phenomena
Hydrodynamic Instabilities
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Brief Description of Current Research
Biomaterials
We are developing better ophthalmic drug delivery vehicles. We have developed
novel nanoparticle-laden soft contact lenses that deliver ophthalmic drugs for a
period of about 5-6 days with significantly smaller drug loss to the systemic
circulation. Animal trials of these lenses are planned and a product based on
this technology is expected to be in the market in about 8 years. We are also
interested modeling the process of nanoparticle encapsulation in the gels as
well as the drug release from the particles, subsequent diffusion processes. Our
work in this area has received much recent attention in the popular press
including, CNN Headline News, and was listed in Reader's Digest Medical
Breakthroughs 2004.
Transport in Biological Systems
One area of focus is on modeling the dynamics of drugs and nanoparticles
after these are injected into a human body. We are developing rigorous mass
transfer models for transport across a capillary, and incorporating these models
into pharmacokinetic models. We are also interested in designing systems for
drug detoxification. Nanoparticulate systems, such as oil-in-water
microemulsions and liposomes, may offer a solution to this problem by
adsorbing/absorbing lipophilic drug molecules.
We are also studying a number of transport issues of relevance in
ophthalmology. These include drainage of tears through the canaliculi,
active transport of water and salt across the ion-channels in the
conjunctiva, lipid spreading on the surface of the tear film, tear film
breakup and transport of drug from the front surface of the eye to the
retina. The eventual goal of our research efforts is to combine
experiments and modeling to develop a comprehensive quantitative model
for transport in the eye.
Other Research Initiatiatives
Our group has also established a strong presense in the area of
bioseparations, where we use microfluidic devices for DNA amplification and
extration; in the area of interfacial and colloidal phenomena, where we focus on
the transport of fluids across surfactanct-covered monolayers; and in the area
of hydrodynamic instability, where we study the Kelvin-Helmoltz instability of
jets of water and other fluids injected in large water reservoirs.
Selected Publications
- Chen, Z, Chauhan, A, “Separation of charged colloids by a combination of
pulsating lateral electric fields and Poiseuille flow in a 2D channel ”,
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 282, (1), February 2005, 212-222
- Fallon, M, Varshney, M, Dennis, MD, Chauhan, A, “A Physiologically-Based
Pharmacokinetic Model of Drug Detoxification by Nanoparticles”, Journal of
Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics, 31 (5), October 2004, 381-400
- Gulsen, D, Chauhan, A, “Ophthalmic Drug delivery through Contact Lenses”,
Investigative Ophthalmology, 45 (7): Jul 2004, 2342-2347.
- Chauhan, A, Maldarelli, C, Rumschitzki, DS, Papageorgiou, DT, “An Experimental
Investigation of Convective Instability in a Jet”, Chemical Engineering
Science, Jun 2003, 58 (11): 2421-2432.
- Hoch, G, Chauhan, A, Radke CJ, “Permeability and Diffusivity for Water Transport
through Hydrogel Membranes”, Journal of Membrane Science, 2003, 214,
199-209.
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