By Dave DeFusco

When Maria Palmtag first stepped into one of UNC-Chapel Hill’s BeAM Makerspaces, she had no idea it would set the course for her career. What started as a fascination with fabrication and design turned into a driving force behind her research in biomedical engineering. Now, nearly two years after earning her undergraduate degree, Palmtag is preparing to start her Ph.D. at the University of Connecticut, where she will continue pushing the boundaries of microneedle technology for drug delivery.

Palmtag credits BeAM with shaping her approach to problem-solving and research. “It gave me a lot of confidence,” she said. “I always like getting it right the first time, but BeAM gave me permission to fail. I might fail at something the first or second or even third time, but I learned that I will figure it out, learn new strategies and pass along that new knowledge or insight.”

At BeAM, she learned CAD software, like Fusion 360 and SolidWorks, skills that later helped her secure a research technician role at the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. “I did so many personal projects with 3D printing just because I wanted to learn more,” she said. “That hands-on experience made me a valuable hire.”

In her role at Lineberger, Palmtag worked on 3D-printed microneedle systems, an innovative drug delivery method with potential applications in vaccine administration and dermatological treatments. The technology she used—continuous liquid interface production (CLIP) 3D printing—offers high-resolution, high-throughput fabrication with design flexibility that traditional microfabrication methods lack.

“We have a prototype high-resolution Carbon S1 printer, which was never commercialized,” she said. “A lot of my time was spent optimizing settings and iterating designs to make something that worked.”

Her research focused on two key applications: improving intradermal vaccine delivery and enhancing topical psoriasis treatments. “Microneedles don’t require reconstitution like traditional vaccines, which means they have a longer shelf life and can be self-administered,” she said. “The dermal space is rich in immune cells, so theoretically, you need a smaller dose to achieve the same immune response as a traditional intramuscular injection.”

Though she entered the lab with expertise in fabrication and design, Palmtag quickly adapted to new disciplines. “My lab’s two principal investigators specialize in nanotechnology and microbiology, so I had to be willing to learn how to handle viruses, cells, and animal models—things I had never done before.”

Her hands-on experience expanded beyond engineering into cell-based and mouse-based research. “I told my PIs that I wanted to see the entire process: designing a device, fabricating it, testing it in vitro with cells and viruses, and eventually working with animal models,” she said. “Learning the wet lab techniques allowed me to be involved in every step of development.”

Palmtag’s ability to design solutions extends beyond microneedles. When her lab needed an affordable nitrogen evaporator for vaccine drying, she built one herself. “Commercial versions were expensive, so I used CAD to design one, laser cut the necessary pieces and 3D-printed the components,” she said. “It worked and was even sterilizable. That problem-solving mentality came directly from my time at BeAM.”

Reflecting on her time at UNC, Palmtag sees a pattern of accidental discoveries leading to deep passions. “I came in pre-med but switched to biomedical engineering because I wanted something more application-based,” she said. “My education was so full and varied. It exposed me to so many new things and new ways of thinking that I don’t regret for a minute how little sleep I got.”

March 5, 2025