Biomacromolecules (Special Issue) - Assistant Professor Terry Steele
We would like to extend our warmest congratulations to Assistant Professor Terry Steele and his team for the publication of the following research articles in the special issue of Biomacromolecules.
- Stimuli-Sensitive and -Responsive Polymer Biomaterials
- Nonthrombogenic Hydrogel Coatings with Carbene-Cross-Linking Bioadhesives
Abstract for “Stimuli-Sensitive and -Responsive Polymer Biomaterials”
Precision and personalized medical treatments require biomaterials that are able to specifically interface and interact with their biological surroundings. This requires stimuli-sensitive and -responsive materials that can sense and actuate specific biological signals and are able to trigger a therapeutic action appropriate to local pathological or physiological environments. Polymer biomaterials that possess these capabilities cannot remain static but need to be able to respond dynamically.
The 2017 International Conference on Materials for Advanced Technologies (ICMAT 2017), which was held in Singapore from June 18 – 23, 2017, featured a symposium on “Stimuli-sensitive and -responsive polymer biomaterials” that was specially dedicated to address these challenges and to showcase the latest advances in the development of stimuli-sensitive and -responsive polymer biomaterials. This Special Issue includes nine papers that were presented at this symposium. These papers cover a wide range of subjects, including hydrogels, bioadhesives, polymer interfaces, composite biomaterials, biosensors, and antimicrobial polymers. Together, these contributions not only provide an excellent overview of the current state-of-the-art in the field but also point out exciting challenges and opportunities for future work.
The article can be found via this link: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.biomac.8b00145
Abstract for “Nonthrombogenic Hydrogel Coatings with Carbene-Cross-Linking Bioadhesives”
Bioadhesives are a current unmet clinical need for the mending of blood contacting soft tissues without inducing thrombosis. Recent development of carbene precursor bioadhesives with the advantages of on-demand curing, tunable modulus and wet adhesion have been synthesized by grafting diazirine onto poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM-G5) dendrimers. Herein, the structure-activity relationships of platelet adhesion and activation are evaluated for the first time on the cured PAMAM-g-diazirine bioadhesives. Three strategies were employed to prevent healthy human donor platelets from adhering and activating on light-cured bioadhesive surfaces – (1) Attenuation of the cationic surface charge, (2) Antifouling composites by incorporating heparin and alginate in the uncured formulation, and (3) Heparin wash of the cured bioadhesive surface. Topographical imaging with scanning electron microscopy of cured and ethanol dehydrated bioadhesive surfaces was used to quantify the adhered and activated platelets, whose resolution allowed identification of round senescent, short dendritic, and long dendritic platelets. Cured surfaces of PAMAM-g-diazirine (15%) had 10,300 ± 500 adhered platelets mm–2 with 99.7% activation into short/long dendritic cells. Reduction of primary amines by a higher degree of diazirine grafting or capping of free amines by acetylation reduces platelet adherence (2,400 ± 200 vs 3,000 ± 300, respectively). Physical incorporation of heparin and alginate in the formulations reduced the activated platelet; 1,300 ± 300 and 300 ± 50, activated platelets mm–2, in comparison with the additive free adhesive formulation. Similarly, heparin rinse of the surface of additive free bioadhesive reduced the activated platelet to platelets of heparin composites at 600 ± 100 platelets mm–2. PAMAM-g-diazirine (15%) bioadhesive retained the photocured mechanical properties and lap shear adhesion despite the addition of heparin and alginate additives.
The article can be found via this link: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.biomac.8b00074
About the journal
Biomacromolecules is a leading forum for the dissemination of cutting-edge research at the interface of polymer science and biology. Submissions should contain strong elements of innovation in terms of macromolecular design, synthesis and characterization, or in the application of polymer materials to biology and medicine.
This new Special Issue is in collaboration with the Materials Research Society of Singapore (MRS-S) focusing on stimuli-sensitive and -responsive polymer biomaterials. These polymer biomaterials can sense and elicit specific biological signs and are able to cause a therapeutic action appropriate to local pathological or physiological environments, thereby advancing the field of precision and personalized medicine.
Our heartiest congratulations to the team on their excellent achievement!