One area of current interest is the development and evaluation of new microcapsules. Microcapsules are small, cell-like particles that act as controlled release delivery devices for drugs and pesticides. Professor Thies and his collaborators fabricate injectable drug-filled capsules from biodegradable and biocompatible materials.
Current work is focused on capsules for chemotheraphy and delivery of polypeptides.
A second area of research interest is the encapsulation of live cells. The goal is to develop a single means of keeping live cells inside microcapsules for prolonged periods. Initial efforts have centered on characterizing existing technology and seeking to improve it, if possible. The approach taken is to define the nature of the polymer needed to produce capsules that let encapsulated cells remain viable. With F. Courteille, J.P. Benoit.