Emiko Tonachel, a biology major with philosophy minor, placed second in the 2026 COS Pitch Competition for Mucoadhesive hydrogel system for localized drug delivery in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. Learn more about the inspiration behind the research.
Tell us about your idea.
The mucoadhesive hydrogel system is a novel proposal for a two-fold therapy method for targeted drug delivery in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. The hydrogel functions as both a “gut band-aid” and also a deliverer of drugs directly to sites of IBD-caused gut lesions. It reduces systemic bodily exposure to doses of toxic drugs, and thus allows for high dosage ability in one singular capsule.
What inspired it, and how did it develop?
My friend has IBD, and as a result, I became exposed to the hardships that came with not only the disease symptoms themselves, but also the treatment methods that accompany them. The idea developed initially from the search for “instant energy” capsule fabrication methods which turned into the discovery of hydrogels. Seeing the potential of these hydrogels, I developed a separate idea shifting away from energy sourcing, and more toward direct treatment methods.
Now that you’ve won, what’s the plan? What milestone are you working toward next?
My next step is to reach out to the researchers who worked on the original model that I am building off of in my method. I want their feedback on the idea, and maybe their help in developing it. Being able to develop an idea like this is costly and complex, however, working towards being able to create it and test it in an animal model would be my next goal.
What impact do you hope this idea will have?
The impact that I hope this idea will have later down the line is to have it be not only a new treatment method for IBD patients, but a less painful and costly one. Treatments that currently exist for IBD, such as IV infusions, not only continue to perpetuate pain for patients, but are also one of their only options. I hope this idea expands the limited research into IBD, and works towards providing those patients with a higher quality of life.
Co-sponsored by the Science Connects to Innovation program and NextGen Lab, the COS Pitch Competition is an exciting opportunity for undergraduates in the College of Science to present their entrepreneurial research idea to a panel of judges for a chance to win prizes!
