Tunable Nitric Oxide Releasing Polymeric Materials

Michigan Technological University, Houghton MI

Investigators

Abstract

Non-technical: This award by the Biomaterials program in the Division of Materials Research is to allow the development of tools that will allow the high potential of nitric oxide (NO) to be utilized to create implantable materials that are able to modulate biological response to implants. The broader impacts of this research include increasing the scientific communities understanding of the role NO plays in a wide variety of biological processes, leading to the development of NO releasing biomaterials. Graduate and undergraduate students will be allowed to conduct cutting edge research that contributes to the field of biomedical engineering. Additionally, communities of learners will be developed that include graduate students, undergraduates, high school educators and high school students who will all have the opportunity to participate in cutting edge biomaterials research, achieving the two-fold goal of improving student learning and exposing novice science and engineering students to high level STEM fields to help increase student understanding of biomaterials development. High school teachers will participate in biomaterials research at MTU over the summer that will then be taken back to home institutions and continued with high school students. Current undergraduate and graduate students will consult with the high school students to continue the research during the academic year. This structure will support the multi-level participation of students and teachers as both learners and mentors and has the potential to enhance STEM education beginning at the high school level and integrating it through graduate education. Technical: The PI will develop tools that will allow the high potential of nitric oxide (NO) to be utilized to create implantable materials that are able to modulate biological response to implants. Work will include development of polymeric materials that are derivatized to release NO in specific temporal profiles such that NO production is able to achieve a desired biological effect (such as promotion of cellular infiltration, reduction of thrombosis, etc.). Polymer properties will be varied to control local pH, water uptake and degradation such that NO release is modulated. An NO delivery system that allows precise supply of NO to cells with spatial and temporal control will also be fully developed. This system will allow the effect of dose and duration of NO on cells to be systematically studied. In order to understand precisely what level of NO cells produce in both pathological and normal conditions, a device will be developed that allows continuous, real-time detection of NO from cultured cells. This suite of tools (tunable NO releasing materials, precise delivery of NO and precise measurement of NO) will allow for the rapid, intelligent design of NO releasing materials tailored to specific physiological applications to be achieved.