Materials World Network: Dynamic Materials with Triggerable Adhesion Motifs

Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Atlanta GA

Investigators

Abstract

This Materials World Network award by the Biomaterials program and the Office of Special Program in the Division of Materials Research to Georgia Institute of Technology supports an international collaboration for research and education between Georgia Tech (USA) and the Max-Planck Institut fur Polymerforschung (Germany). The objective of this project is to engineer phototriggerable materials to dynamically present and/or release bioadhesive motifs via the use of UV-labile caged bioadhesive ligands, which are expected to provide precise control over cell-material interactions both in vitro and in vivo. The project is to develop two biomaterial platforms (surfaces, hydrogels) with triggerable adhesive arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) tripeptide ligands in order to investigate the effects of spatiotemporal adhesion in cell processes. A major and unique strength of the proposed work is the ongoing international collaboration integrating photocaged chemistry and biomaterials engineering. The overall objective will be accomplished by completing the following specific aims: a) synthesize surfaces presenting caged RGD peptides that are activated or inactivated via exposure to UV light to spatiotemporally modulate cell adhesion; b) analyze the role of temporal ligand presentation on cell proliferation and differentiation on bioadhesive surfaces; c) engineer hydrogels presenting caged RGD peptides that exhibit spatiotemporal control of in vivo cell adhesion. These phototriggerable materials are expected to have wide-spread applications in basic-science studies of cell function as well as dynamic, tunable implants for tissue repair and regeneration. The proposed research will generate a general biomaterial strategy for precise spatiotemporal control of biological functionalities. These innovative biomaterials will then be used to provide new insights on cell-biomaterial interactions in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the focus on engineering triggerable hydrogels provides a pathway for translation into many biotechnological and biomedical applications. Because of these strengths, the proposed research will be highly transformative. Finally, this project will also strengthen the ongoing collaboration by enabling significant interactions and expanding research activities. The research will result in the advanced training of undergraduate and graduate researchers, including an underrepresented minority student from Georgia Tech, with unique analytical skills based on a multi-disciplinary, integrative perspective.