To address the problem of insulin\u2019s temperature sensitivity, Gerrick\nLindberg<\/strong>,\nassistant professor of physical chemistry in NAU\u2019s Department of\nChemistry and Biochemistry<\/a>, will use a $60,000 National Institutes of Health grant awarded through the Southwest\nHealth Equity Research Collaborative<\/a> to study whether ionic liquids or deep eutectic\nsolvents could be substituted for a water solution to preserve and deliver\ninsulin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIonic\nliquids are salts, but unlike table salt, which remains solid to a very high\ntemperature, they remain liquid at a wider temperature range,\u201d Lindberg said. \u201cWe\nall know water changes states when temperatures vary. Ionic liquids are more\nstable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Working with his team of graduate and undergraduate students, Lindberg will test mixing insulin with these liquid salt solutions, then evaluate the mixtures for two important factors. They must ascertain whether the insulin <\/strong>proteins keep their shape when suspended in ionic solutions as well as or better than in water-based solutions and ensure that the proteins don\u2019t stick together. When either of those reactions occur, the proteins are no longer bioactive and the insulin becomes ineffective. If the formulations are successful, a longer-lasting and easier-to-store medication could be on the horizon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lindberg is hopeful because previous work conducted with Andy Koppisch<\/strong>, associate professor of biochemistry, indicated that such solutions can facilitate the topical delivery of antibiotics without irritating human skin and can even enhance the medication\u2019s effectiveness. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOne solution in particular that we are looking at, choline geranate, shows real promise,\u201d Lindberg said. \u201cThe FDA\nhas approved all the components of one solution, but how those components\nbehave in the human body when they are combined needs more investigation. More FDA testing will need to take place to prove it\u2019s actually\nsafe. Obviously,\nif this works out, it has dramatic implications for\nhealthcare and medicine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lindberg\u2019s goals go far beyond earthly confines. If his team\nproves that ionic solutions are successful delivery systems for insulin and\nantibiotics, they may be used for other drugs astronauts may need, such as pain\nmedications. Lindberg hopes to secure additional funding to conduct further\nresearch, and that\u2019s why the team is planning experiments\non how the mixtures will react to X-ray radiation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis is literally a pie-in-the-sky effort. My group is exploring\nmaterials that could stabilize medicine for extended space travel,\u201d Lindberg\nsaid. \u201cBecause ionic liquids are pressure-\nand temperature-stable, they can be used in extreme environments, and space is\nabout as extreme as you can get. They also tend to be radiation-stable, so if\ncosmic or UV rays hit them, perhaps they will not fall apart in the same way\nthat organic molecules do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Drug expiration dates are important\nconsiderations in space because astronauts don\u2019t have the option of going to\nthe pharmacy. Expiration dates on the pain medication and antibiotics they may need\nare currently two to three years out. Lindberg hopes to extend that to about\nfive to 10 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf you run out of insulin\nor other medications here in the United States, there are cost concerns, but\nyou can resupply. In space, if your supply fouls, there\u2019s no way to replace it,\u201d\nLindberg said. \u201cImagine a mission to Mars. At best, you have five years before\nyou can restock. The intrinsic properties of these solutions make them well-suited\nfor such applications.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lindberg joined NAU in 2014. His\nresearch interests include water physical chemistry, astrochemistry, protein and lipid\nmembrane biophysics, and enhanced sampling methods. His lab<\/a> uses theoretical and computational chemistry to understand\ncomplex, condensed-phase systems. <\/p>\n\n\n\nImproving the astronaut experience in space<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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