Research Interest

Polymeric biomaterials and implants, controlled drug release, tissue engineering

Active implants can provide life-giving help to many systems in the body. When made of a biodegradable polymer, the degradation of such implants occurs by hydrolytic cleavage and the end products (carbon dioxide and water) are non-toxic. These implants can remain intact in the body for a predicted period of time – from weeks to years – and then degrade obviating the need for a removal surgery. We have been developing and studying novel fiber- and film-based bioresorbable structures loaded with various bioactive agents. These structures are designed to be used as basic elements of implants and scaffolds for tissue regeneration applications. In addition to their regular role of support, these implants also release bioactive agents in a controlled manner and thus, induce healing effects. We are investigating the effects of the process’ kinetic and thermodynamic parameters on the nano- and micro-structural features of these implants and on the resulting properties (mainly drug release profile, mechanical and physical properties). The results of our studies thus have great medical relevance and provide solutions to basic needs in the fields of medical implants and tissue regeneration.

Current main projects:

• Wound dressings with controlled release of antibiotics for treatment of patients with large burns, diabetic ulcers and pressure sores.
• Highly porous scaffolds for bone regeneration with growth factor release.
• Core/shell fiber structures loaded with antiproliferative agents for vascular stents and local cancer treatment.
• A new class of bioactive and biodegradable soybean-base scaffolds for tissue regeneration applications.
• Novel drug-eluting soft tissue adhesives and hard tissue adhesives based on natural polymers.

Fig. 1: a schematic representation of drug-eluting core/shell fiber

Fig. 2: SEM fractograph of highly porous Nano-structred film loaded with drug molecules

Fig. 3: Light micrograph showing Drug crystals on the surface of A biodegradable film

Fig. 4: SEM micrograph of multi-reservoir microsphere loaded with protein molecules

• Adi Rachelson and Meital Zilberman, "Highly Porous Nano and Micro-Structured Films Loaded with Bioactive Agents for Biomedical Applications: Structure – Release Profile Effects", Advanced Engineering Materials (Advanced Biomaterials), 11 (8),B122-128 (2009).
• Jonathan J. Elsner and Meital Zilberman, ”Antibiotic-Eluting Bioresorbable Composite Fibers for Wound Healing Applications: Microstructure, Drug Delivery and Mechanical Properties", Acta Biomaterialia, 5, 2872-2883 (2009).
• Amir Kraitzer, Yoel Kloog and Meital Zilberman, "Novel Farnesylthiosalicylate (FTS) – Eluting Composite Structures", European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 37, 351-362 (2009).
• Yael Shifrovitch, Itzhak Binderman, Hila Bahar, Israela Berdicevsky and Meital Zilberman, "Metronidazole-Loaded Bioresorbable Films as Local Anti-Bacterial Treatment of Periodontal Pockets", Journal of Periodontology, 80 (2), 330-337 (2009).
• Amir Kraitzer, Yoel Kloog and Meital Zilberman, "Approaches for Prevention of Restenosis", Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B: Applied Biomaterials, 85 (B), 583-603 (2008).
• Meital Zilberman and Jonathan Elsner, "Antibiotic-Eluting Medical Devices for various Applications – A review", Journal of Controlled Release, 130, 202-215 (2008).
• Amir Kraitzer, Lia Ofek, Reut Schreiber and Meital Zilberman, "Long-Term In-Vitro Study of Paclitaxel Eluting Bioresorbable Core/Shell Fiber Structures", Journal of Controlled Release, 126, 139-148 (2008).
• Moran Aviv, Israela Berdicevsky and Meital Zilberman, "Gentamicin-Loaded Bioresorbable Films for Prevention of Bacterial Infections Associated with Orthopedic Implants", Journal of Biomedical Materials Research – part A, 83 (1), 10-19 (2007).
• Meital Zilberman and Moran Sofer, "Mathematical Modeling of Drug Release from Novel Bioresorbabale Composite Core/Shell Fiber Structures for Tissue Regeneration Applications", Journal of Biomedical Materials Research – part A, 80 (3), 679-686 (2007).
• Meital Zilberman, "Novel Composite Fiber Structures to Provide Drug/Protein Delivery for Medical Implants and Tissue Regeneration", Acta Biomaterialia, 3 (1), 51-57 (2007).
• M. Zilberman and R. Eberhart, "Drug-Eluting Bioresorbable Stents for Various Applications", Annual Review of Biomedical Engineering, 8: 153-180 (2006).