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Background

Microreservoir Theory

Fabrication (1,2)

Microreservoir actuation

Integrated Microchip device

Advantages

References

 

Objective of Website:

            UCI offers several categories of study within Biomedical Engineering which include Biophotonics, Biomedical computational technologies, Tissue engineering and Biomedical Micro and Nano-scale systems. This website however, is designed for those students who are interested in the last category: micro and nano-scale systems directed towards clinical medicine. In this specific website, the topic of an implantable microchip that utilizes microscale reservoirs fabricated by semiconductor technology for the purpose of controllable drug delivery in vivo will be discussed.

            In relevance of biomedical engineering, microreservoir technology for microchips are an example of how the applications of microfabrication technologies can be aimed towards the development of microscale devices for controlled release of chemicals and drugs. Microtechnology is an emerging field that spans across numerous applications and a number of systems that can be developed. Microtechnology in the case of implantable microreservoir systems is based on controlled-release systems and microencapsulated systems. The image below is an example of the microreservoir system or 'microchip'. (Picture rights belong to [8])