Dr.
Ying
Chau
Associate
Professor,
Division
of
Biomedical
Engineering
and
Department
of
Chemical
and
Biomolecular
Engineering,
Hong
Kong
University
of
Science
and
Technology
(HKUST)
Associate Director, Bioengineering Graduate Program, HKUST
Vice Chairman, Hong Kong Biotechnology Organization (HK BIO)
Abstract:
Because
of
the
structural
and
dynamic
barriers
surrounding
the
eye,
the
current
clinical
practice
relies
on
frequent
and
repeated
intravitreal
injection
to
deliver
therapeutics
to
the
back
of
the
eye.
Motivated
by
the
need
of
safe
and
effective
methods,
two
approaches
have
been
developed
in
my
lab.
The
physical
approach
involves
the
use
of
low-frequency
ultrasound,
which
is
found
to
disrupt
ocular
barriers
temporarily.
This
allows
non-invasive
penetration
of
macromolecules
through
the
transscleral
route.
The
chemical
approach
involves
the
design
and
formulation
of
an
injectable
hydrogel.
Modified
hyaluronic
acid
and
dextran
undergo
in
situ
gelation
under
physiological
conditions.
The
depot
is
biocompatible
with
ocular
tissues
and
is
capable
of
releasing
protein
drugs
over
multiple
months.
I
will
share
the
latest
development
and
discuss
the
underlying
mechanism
of
these
approaches.
Biosketch:
Dr.
Ying
Chau
is
an
Associate
Professor
of
Chemical
and
Biological
Engineering
at
the
Hong
Kong
University
of
Science
and
Technology.
Her
current
research
interests
include
the
design
and
translation
of
drug
delivery
approaches
and
biomaterials
for
ocular
applications,
and
the
self-assembly
and
cell
interactions
of
nanostructures
derived
from
polymers
and
biomolecules.
Two
start-up
companies
based
in
Hong
Kong
and
Shenzhen
have
been
spun
out
from
her
laboratory.
She
is
the
Founder
and
Director
of
SIGHT
(Student
Innovation
for
Global
Health
Technology),
a
cross-disciplinary
education
platform
at
HKUST
geared
towards
developing
and
deploying
innovations
to
resource-limited
communities.
She
was
a
founding
member
of
the
Biomedical
Engineering
discipline
in
the
Hong
Kong
Institutions
of
Engineers,
and
is
currently
serving
as
a
council
member
for
the
Hong
Kong
Biotechnology
Organization.
Dr.
Chau
received
her
B.S.
from
Cornell
University,
M.S.
from
University
of
Pennsylvania,
and
Ph.D.
in
Chemical
Engineering
from
Massachusetts
Institute
of
Technology.