You  are  invited  by  the  Montreal  student  chapter  of  the  CBS  to  the  seminar:  

Biomaterials  for  gene  and  drug  delivery  Dr.  Michael  D.  Buschmann  Department  of  Chemical  Engineering

Institute  of  Biomedical  Engineering  Director  Biomedical  Science  and  Technology  Research  Group  (FRQS)  

École  Polytechnique  de  Montréal    

 

&    

Dr.  Sylvain  Martel  Department  of  Computer  Engineering

École  Polytechnique  de  Montréal      

November  24th,  2016  4:00  pm-­‐7:00  pm  

 

Pavillon  J-­‐A  Bombardier  –  Room  1035  Université  de  Montréal  (UdeM)  

5155  Chemin  de  la  rampe  Montréal      

Followed  by  a  networking  session  with  free  finger  food  and  drinks.    

   

   

   

   

Biography    

Michael   Buschmann   received   a   B.   Engineering   Physics   from   the   University   of  Saskatchewan   in   1984,   and   a   Ph.D.   in   Medical   Engineering   and   Medical   Physics  from  MIT  and  Harvard  University   in  1992.  Since  1994,  Dr.  Buschmann   is  Professor  of  Biomedical  Engineering  and  Chemical  Engineering  at  Polytechnique  de  Montréal.  His   current   research   program   focuses   on   the   use   of   biomaterials   to   repair   joint  tissues  and   to  effectively  deliver  nucleic  acids.  He  has  helped   found   two  previous  start-­‐ups  and   invented  3  technologies  that  have  been  commercialized,   including  a  mechanical  tester  benchtop  instrument,  a  clinical  arthroscopic  cartilage  evaluation  device   and   a   therapeutic   biomaterial   that   is   approved   in   18   countries   to   repair  cartilage.   He   recently   co-­‐founded   two   additional   start-­‐ups   based   on   current  research,  one  in  orthopaedic  tissue  repair  and  another  in  RNA  therapeutics.  He  has  received   the   Partnership   and   Innovator   Prize   from   the   Quebec   Association   for  Industrial  Research  (ADRIQ)  and  several  teaching  awards.  

   

 Dr.  Michael  D.  Buschmann  

 

Department  of  Chemical  Engineering

Institute  of  Biomedical  Engineering  Director  Biomedical  Science  and  Technology  

Research  Group  (FRQS)  École  Polytechnique  de  Montréal  

Montreal,  Quebec,  Canada  

   

Abstract    

RNA  Therapeutics  Delivery  and  Biomaterials  for  Tissue  Repair  

 We   have   developed   nanovectors   that   are   electrostatic   complexes   of   the   cationic  polymer   chitosan   and   its   derivatives   with   nucleic   acids   (siRNA,   mRNA,   miRNA,  pDNA).  These  polyelectrolyte  complexes  achieve  high  levels  of  gene  expression  and  specific   gene   silencing   in   many   cell   types.   A   specific   intravascular   targeting   of  current   systems   to   proximal   tubules   in   the   kidney   in  mice  was   found,   leading   to  applications   in   renal   disease.   Chemically  modified   systems   are   being   investigated  for   cancer   applications.   The   same   family   of   polymers   is   also   used   to   stabilize  platelet   rich   plasma   (PRP)   as   injectable   implants   for   tissue   repair.   Specific  compositions   in   a   lyophilized   form   were   resuspended   in   PRP   and   injected   into  meniscus  tears  and  rotator  cuff  tears  to  biologically  stimulate  repair  at  these  sites  in   animal   models.   The   latter   technology   is   now   being   transferred   to   a   GMP  manufacturer  and  is  entering  clinical  phase  testing.  

   

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

           

 

Biography    Prof.  Sylvain  Martel,  Fellow  of  the  Canadian  Academy  of  Engineering  as  well  as  IEEE  Fellow,   is   Chair   of   the   IEEE   Technical   Committee   on   Micro-­‐   Nanorobotics   and  Automation,   and   Director   of   the   NanoRobotics   Laboratory   at   Polytechnique  Montréal,  Campus  of  the  University  of  Montréal,  Canada.  He  received  many  awards  mostly  in  interdisciplinary  research  and  he  is  a  recipient  of  a  Tier  1  Canada  Research  Chair   in   Medical   Nanorobotics.   He   developed   several   biomedical   technologies  including   platforms   for   remote   surgeries   and   cardiac   mapping   systems   when   at  McGill  University,  and  new  types  of  brain  implants  for  decoding  neuronal  activities  in  the  motor  cortex  when  at  MIT.  Among  other  achievements,  Dr.  Martel’s  research  group  is  also  credited  for  the  first  demonstration  of  the  controlled  navigation  of  an  untethered   object   in   the   blood   vessel   of   a   living   animal.   Prof.   Martel’s  interdisciplinary  team  is  recognized  worldwide  as  a  pioneered  and  leading  authority  in   the   development   of   navigable   therapeutic   agents   and   interventional   platforms  for  cancer  therapy.    

 Dr.  Sylvain  Martel  

 

Department  of  Computer  Engineering

École  Polytechnique  de  Montréal  Montreal,  Quebec,  Canada  

 

   

   

Abstract  Canadian  nanorobots:  an  option  for  fighting  

cancer?  Rapid   progress   in   integrating   nanotechnology   with   robotics   has   launched  nanorobots   out   of   the   realm   of   science-­‐fiction,   opening   extraordinary   new  possibilities   in   medicine   and   pharmaceutics.   Swarms   of   hundreds   of   millions   of  these   robots   a   tiny   fraction   of   the   thickness   of   human   hair   can   now   navigate   in  blood   vessels,   swim  deep   inside   tumors,   then  autonomously  detect   active   cancer  cells   and   target   precise   locations   to   achieve   maximum   therapeutic   effects.   At  present,  these  nanorobots  only  exist  in  Canada,  putting  the  country  at  the  forefront  of   this   new   field   known   as   medical   nanorobotics.   The   talk   will   discuss   the  potentially   huge   impacts   for   important   industrial   and   research   sectors,   as  well   as  the  human  benefits   in  terms  of  more  effective  treatments  with  fewer  side  effects  and   the  expected   reduction  of   costs   in   health   care.   The  presentation  will   feature  initial  results  and  videos  showing  the  nanorobots  in  action.  At  the  close  of  the  talk,  you  will  surely  agree  that  the  future  has  arrived!