Highly controlled ultrasound-mediated drug delivery experiments: an in vitro set-up

This work reports the design, development and characterization of a low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) stimulation system to be used for highly controlled ultrasound-triggered drug delivery in vitro experiments. The use of a versatile signal generator and different types of transducers allows the fine tuning of the stimulation parameters over a broad range. Such transducers were carefully characterized in terms of pressure field shape and intensity, guaranteeing a precise estimation and control of the ultrasound dose delivered to the target. Such a system will be used for controlled drug release tests from ultrasound-responsive systems, such as nano and micro carriers, scaffolds and patches, in the context of the REBORN project.