Dr. Mark Prausnitz

Biography

Mark Prausnitz is a Regents' Professor and the J. Erskine Love Jr. Chair at the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. His research focuses on biophysical methods for drug delivery, employing techniques such as microneedles, ultrasound, lasers, and electric fields to control the transport of drugs, proteins, genes, and vaccines into the body. A major area of his work involves the use of microneedle patches for the painless and minimally invasive application of vaccines to the skin. Prausnitz collaborates with Emory University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to advance microneedle device design and fabrication, conducting preclinical animal studies and research in human subjects. His group develops self-administered influenza vaccines using microneedles and has worked on innovative approaches to target insulin delivery for diabetic patients. Additionally, his research includes the study of novel mechanisms for delivering proteins and DNA into cells using cavitation bubble activity generated by ultrasound and laser-excited carbon nanoparticles. Beyond his research, he teaches courses on engineering calculations and pharmaceuticals and serves as a consultant and advisory board member in the scientific and business communities.

Research Interests