A team of researchers at the University of Texas has developed a new method of administering vaccines and medications without the use of needles. The MOF-Jet, as it is called, uses a gentle burst of air to deliver the medication through the skin, making it painless and potentially improving cancer treatment. The inspiration for the project came during the Covid-19 pandemic, when Dr. Jeremiah Gassensmith ordered inexpensive components of a pressure-based injection system to experiment with during his home isolation. Later, he handed the parts over to doctoral student Yalini Wijesundara to explore their potential.
Wijesundara had previously researched other pressure-based injectors and suspected that they could be modified to deliver solid payloads, such as those encapsulated in Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs). These porous, crystalline structures act as molecular cages and can include a wide range of materials, including nucleic acids and proteins. By combining the pressure-based injector with existing MOF research, the team was able to develop the MOF-Jet, which can transport powder to cells by literally shooting it in with air.
The MOF-Jet has the potential to revolutionize the way vaccines and medications are administered, particularly for cancer treatment. The team is currently using the MOF-Jet to deliver chemotherapy and adjuvants for the potential treatment of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. By controlling the carrier gas, they can deliver chemotherapy with a fast or slow release, depending on the patient’s needs. The MOF-Jet’s adaptability could have a wide range of applications, from veterinary medicine to human vaccinations and treatments in the future.
While the research is ongoing, preliminary experiments have yielded promising results. Wijesundara and Gassensmith are optimistic about the potential of the MOF-Jet and its ability to deliver medication more effectively and painlessly than traditional needle-based methods.
