Meet Vallabh Ramesh, the 18-year-old Kentucky student who created a 3D-printable smart gel that solidifies at body temperature and could one day deliver drugs inside the body

Vallabh Ramesh’s work looks at how next generation materials could be used in drug delivery, tissue engineering and other areas of biomedical technology in the future.

Science and technology has never failed to surprise humans. Think, what if you could print a material into virtually any shape, respond to temperature, and one day help deliver medicine inside the human body? Sounds impossible? Well, it is possible! For 18-year-old Vallabh Ramesh, that question became the catalyst for an ambitious science project. According to Society for Science, Ramesh, a duPont Manual High School student, developed a smart polymer gel that can be 3D-printed with relatively inexpensive equipment and that undergoes a change at body temperature. His work looks at how next generation materials could be used in drug delivery, tissue engineering and other areas of biomedical technology in the future. Scroll down to read the details.

A smart gel with a trigger of temperature

Smart materials are designed to respond to changes in their environment. Depending on their composition, they can respond to stimuli like temperature, light, pressure or electrical signals. Ramesh’s materials science project was on a thermo-responsive polymer gel – a material that changes properties with temperature. By repeatedly experimenting he identified concentrations of different components that would allow the gel to be processed with more accessible 3D-printing technology. This is important since many advanced smart materials require specialized and expensive printers to make complex structures. His goal was to see if a less expensive way could make these materials easier to handle, states the report.

From 3D printed jaws to drug delivery

Ramesh started by printing structures such as jaws to demonstrate the potential of his material. The prototypes demonstrated that the gel can be formed in complex shapes and not just used as a flat or uniform material. Then he turned to a more biomedical application. Ramesh used the gel to make little “pouches,” which would be designed to release chemicals slowly over time. The experiment was a proof of concept for the potential construction of a similar material for controlled drug delivery. The concept could have implications for personalized medicine, as treatments are increasingly being developed around individual patients and their specific needs. But a lot more testing and development would be needed before the medical application could become a reality, clarfies the online report.

Beyond the medicine

The young researcher also explored potential uses for the gel outside biomedical applications. (Image: Society for Science)

The young researcher also explored potential uses for the gel outside biomedical applications. His experiments proved the material could be used as a heat sink, and could potentially help deal with heat generated by electronics. He also tested its electrical conductivity and found his gel to beat some commercially available gels in his testing. These experiments hint at the wider promise of smart polymers. Materials that respond to their environment can potentially be adapted for fields ranging from medicine to electronics and robotics, rather than being limited to one application.

A young mind with larger mission

Ramesh is not just interested in laboratory experimentation. He leads the school’s rocketry team at duPont Manual High School, merging engineering and science with real-world design and problem solving. He has been working on a project on social and community connectedness. Ramesh founded a school club which grew into Cognitive Connections, a nonprofit that sends volunteers to visit seniors in care facilities and supports fundraising efforts for dementia research. His work reflects an interest in using technology and community initiatives to address real world problems.

Designing the future

Ramesh also has a creative passion outside of science and engineering: digital design He loves making wallpapers and experimenting with visual styles inspired by early 2010s tech esthetics. That combination of scientific curiosity and design might be appropriate for someone who works with 3D-printable materials. Ultimately his project is to imagine what materials could do differently, and find a practical way of making those ideas tangible. At 18 years old, Ramesh is already probing questions at the intersection of materials science, medicine, electronics and engineering. His smart gel is still a research project, not a medical product, but the possibilities show how young researchers are using accessible technologies to explore problems that used to be the preserve of sophisticated laboratories.Images Courtesy: Society for Science