- Role
- Finalist
- Region
- Bay Area
- Pronouns
- he/him/his
Rahul Rao
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Project
The Power of Pectin: Attenuating Toxic By-Products for Enhanced Hydogel Drug Delivery
Project #5104
Hydrogel drug delivery offers a promising alternative to traditional methods by tailoring controlled drug release through acidic, temperature and enzymatic changes in localized environments. However, it could possibly produce toxic by-products due to the properties of some polymers. Typical polymers employed for hydrogel drug delivery are either synthetic, positively charged, or hydrophobic - each of which contribute to toxicity. To address this issue, we tested pectin- a natural, hydrophilic, and negatively charged polysaccharide, as a potential substitute. Through three experiments in simulated biological conditions, we evaluated pectin’s changes in pH (enzymatic degradation), conductivity (charge), and dispersion (hydrophilicity) compared to conventional polymers. Pectin showed no reaction in any test, while all other polymers caused at least one negative reaction. These results suggest that pectin can minimize toxicity, making it a safer, effective alternative to traditionally used synthetic polymers. These Pectin hydrogel systems can be used to save countless lives globally.
- Challenge
- Disease and Illness
- Category
- Junior
- Type
- Discovery
- Project Partner
- Vivaan Kar