Kendall-06 Annual Report
	Kendall Group media releases
	Kendall PhD projects
	PhD Scholarships
	Contact Mark Kendall

The Group, led by Professor Mark Kendall focuses on the delivery of biomolecules and stimuli to cells in skin (and other soft tissue) using physical methods. The goal is novel delivery strategies for step-change improvements in the treatment/vaccination of key major diseases. In achieving this goal, the Group focuses on:

1. Needle-free gene and drug delivery technologies to skin.
   We are engineering next-generation devices to outstrip key shortcomings of the needle-and syringe:
   • inaccurate targeting of biomolecules to key cell locations, giving poor biological responses;
   • needle-stick injuries; and
   • needle-phobia.
2. Micro-nanoprojection array patch (Nanopatch) technology.
   This is a patch with thousands of tiny projections – invisible to the human eye – dry-coated in biomolecules. When the patch is placed against the skin, these projections push through the outer skin layer and deliver the biomolecules precisely to the target cells.   Our research is focused on realising this process with practical devices suitable for clinical application. We also are researching Gene Gun or Biolistic technologies that ballistically deliver dry-coated biomolecules to the skin (commercialised by PowderMed).
3. Measuring key skin properties.
   To help optimise our delivery devices, we are performing fundamental research into key mechanical and biological properties of skin. Mechanical measurements are made with a range of tools, including a Nanoindentor. Our understanding of the local skin biology is enhanced with a range of tools, including a new in-vivo Multi-Photon Microscope, one of the very few in the world capable of interrogating – in real time – the in-vivo interactions within the skin induced after delivery.
4. Clinical applications (systemic responses).
   We apply our delivery technologies to key clinical applications, measuring both local and systemic responses in the animal model. This research is conducted both within our research team, and in collaboration with world-leading vaccinologists.

The multidisciplinary research spans biomedical engineering (fluid mechanics; micro-nanofabrication; solid mechanics), diagnostics (multi-photon microscopy) and dermatology and vaccinology.

A computational fluid dynamics simulation of gas and drug microparticle flow, accelerating through a biolistic delivery device and impacting on the skin (Hardy & Kendall (2005).

Research Projects:

• International Needle-free Vaccination Alliance (INVax). This Grant is a collaboration with world-leaders at the Seattle Biomedical Research Institute (SBRI), the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to investigate the Nanopatch technology for the vaccination of three diseases.
• MPM non-invasive imaging of biological interactions following drug delivery with micro-nanoprojection patches.
• Micro-nanoprojection patches for minimally-invasive and targeted delivery of genes and drugs to skin cells: from concept to technology platform.
• Micro-nanoprojection patches for targeted gene and drug delivery to the skin and improved DNA vaccines.
• Multi-photon microscopy for in-vivo imaging following delivery of drugs and vaccines to skin.
• Measurement of mechanical properties in skin at the cellular and subcellular scale.

Key Publications

1. KENDALL, M.A.F. CHONG, Y. & COCK, A. (in press) “The mechanical properties of the skin epidermis in relation to targeted gene and drug delivery”, Accepted in Biomaterials, May 3 2007 (Editor: Prof. D. F. Williams).
2. KENDALL, M.A.F (2006) “Engineering of needle-free physical methods to target epidermal cells for DNA vaccination”, Vaccine May 22; 24(21): 4651—4656.
3. RAJU, P.A., McSLOY N., TRUONG, N.K & KENDALL, M.A.F (2006) “Assessment of epidermal cell viability by Near Infra-Red Multi-photon Microscopy following ballistic delivery of gold micro-particles”. Vaccine May 22; 24(21):4644-4647.
4. KENDALL, M.A.F., MITCHELL, T.J., COSTIGAN, G., ARMITAGE, M., LENZO, J.C. , THOMAS, J.A., VON GARNIER, C., ZOSKY, G.R.,, TURNER, D.J., STUMBLES, P.A., SLY, P.D., HOLT, P.G. & THOMAS, W.R. (2006) “Down regulation of IgE allergic responses in the lung by epidermal biolistic micro-particle delivery”, Allergy and Clinical Immunology Journal, 117:2, 275-282. 
5. KENDALL, M.A.F., MITCHELL, T.J. & WRIGHTON-SMITH, P. (2004) Intradermal ballistic delivery of micro-particles into excised human skin for drug and vaccine applications. Journal of Biomechanics, 37(11):1733–1741.
6. KENDALL M.A.F., RISHWORTH, S., CARTER, F.V. & MITCHELL, T.J. (2004) “The effects of relative humidity and ambient temperature on the ballistic delivery of micro-particles into excised porcine skin”, Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 122(3):739-746.
7. KENDALL, M.A.F. (2002) “The delivery of particulate Vaccines and Drugs to Human Skin with a practical, hand-held Shock Tube-based system”, Shock Waves Journal, 12(1), 22-30.