Katelyn E. Swindle-Reilly, Ph.D., University of Texas

Senior Scientist, Rochal Industries, LLC Adjunct Assistant Professor, Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at San Antonio

Title: "Polymeric Biomaterials for Soft Tissue Repair and Drug Delivery" 

 

ABSTRACT

Soft tissue injuries severely compromise quality of life and cost the US healthcare system billions of dollars each year. Current treatment options are often inadequate for restoring function and can have significant side effects. The need for improved wound care treatments is made more urgent by the aging population and increased incidence of diabetes. Ideal soft tissue repair techniques would incorporate proper mechanical and biological cues to promote cell adhesion and differentiation. Optimal design principles can be used to develop biomimetic biomaterials to replace damaged soft tissues and serve as drug delivery scaffolds. This approach was utilized to develop a variety of soft tissue prostheses for ocular, neural, and wound care applications. First, an injectable artificial vitreous substitute was developed which matched the viscoelastic and optical properties of the natural vitreous. This hydrogel system employed a reversible disulfide crosslinker enabling gel formation inside the eye. In another project, extracellular matrix components were incorporated into electrospun and 3-D scaffolds to enhance peripheral nerve regeneration. Most recently, wound care products were developed including topical formulations and a matrix to support tissue repair by using synthetic polymers, biopolymers, and antimicrobial agents. Combining these techniques will enable a future research program optimizing the design of polymeric biomaterials for soft tissue repair, particularly in ophthalmic applications and to promote wound healing. 

 

BIO

Dr. Swindle-Reilly completed a B.S. in Chemical Engineering at Georgia Tech followed by M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Chemical Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis. Her dissertation research resulted in the development and successful in vivo testing of an injectable, in vivo-gelling biomimetic vitreous substitute. She completed postdoctoral training in Biomedical Engineering at Saint Louis University where she developed 3-D biopolymer and electrospun scaffolds for peripheral nerve regeneration. Dr. Swindle-Reilly is currently a Senior Scientist at Rochal Industries where she researches and develops innovative wound care products. She has developed six wound care products including polymeric skin protectants, antimicrobial formulations, and a soft tissue regenerative matrix. Most recently, she has designed manufacturing processes and preclinical studies for FDA clearance of these products. As an Adjunct Assistant Professor, she developed and taught a laboratory course in biotransport phenomena.