CAREER: Development of Multifunctional Tissue Scaffolds Comprising Natural Collagen and Collagen Mimetic Peptides

这项由约翰·霍普金斯大学材料研究部的生物材料项目颁发的职业奖项是探索新的胶原蛋白修饰技术，并开发空间功能化的胶原蛋白支架，用于控制微血管形成和人工角膜制造。这种修饰技术基于胶原蛋白天然结合成三螺旋分子结构的能力，类似于DNA链的入侵和交换。利用人工合成的胶原蛋白模拟肽(CMP)作为胶原蛋白特异性的“搭便车”，Michael Yu博士将在支架内的特定位置合成含有外源生物活性成分(生长因子、细胞粘附肽和抗菌肽)的3D胶原基组织支架，并研究其在受控组织生成方面的有效性。该项目的具体目标是：a)设计具有增强的胶原结合性能的胶原模拟多肽类似物，并对CMP-胶原相互作用进行基础研究；b)研究CMPS在制造胶原表面和具有受控生物活性的凝胶中的使用；以及c)测试其作为有序微血管和功能性人工角膜组织支架的性能。除了组织工程学的应用，这项改良技术还可能在检测和治疗与病理性瘢痕组织和其他异常细胞外基质相关的疾病方面带来技术创新。PI将与总部设在巴尔的摩的全国盲人杰尼根研究所联合会合作，为盲人高中生开发生物材料实验室，作为盲人青年STEM学院的一部分。这一推广计划的目标是：a)通过实践项目让盲人青年接触STEM，这些项目有力地证明他们可以在这些领域发挥重要作用；b)鼓励研究生从事研究项目、技术开发和教育活动，以解决将残疾人完全纳入STEM职业生涯的问题；以及c)教育家长、教师和公众STEM领域对盲人青年开放。在约翰·霍普金斯大学社区内，该项目将开发创新的材料生物学课程，以培养能够跨传统材料和生物学学科工作的新型材料研究人员。

This Career award by the Biomaterials program in the Division of Materials Research to Johns Hopkins University is to explore new collagen modification technique and develop spatially functionalized collagen scaffolds for controlled microvasculature formation and artificial cornea fabrication. The modification technique is based on collagen's native ability to associate into triple-helical molecular architecture similar to DNA strand invasion and exchange. Using synthetic collagen mimetic peptide (CMP) as a collagen-specific "hitch-hiker," Dr. Michael Yu will synthesize 3D collagen-based tissue scaffolds with exogenous bioactive components (growth factors, cell adhesion peptides, and antimicrobial peptides) in defined locations within the scaffolds and investigate their effectiveness for controlled tissue generation. Specific goals of the project are: a) design of collagen mimetic peptide analogues with enhanced collagen binding properties and perform fundamental study of CMP-collagen interactions; b) investigation in the use of CMPs in fabricating collagen surfaces and gels with controlled bioactivity; and c) testing the performance as tissue scaffolds for ordered microvasculature and functional artificial cornea. In addition to tissue engineering application, the modification technique may also lead to technological innovation in detection and treatment of diseases related to pathologic scar tissue and other abnormal extra cellular matrices.In collaboration with National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, based in Baltimore, the PI will develop a biomaterials laboratory session for blind high school students as part of the Blind Youth STEM Academy. Goals of this outreach program are: a) expose blind youth to STEM through hands-on programs that powerfully demonstrate that they can play a major role in such fields; b) stimulate graduate students to pursue research projects, technology development and educational activities that address problems of full inclusion of persons with disabilities in STEM careers; and c) educate parents, teachers, and general public that STEM fields are open to blind youth. Within the Johns Hopkins community, the project will develop innovative materials biology curriculum to create new breed of material researchers who can work across traditional materials and biology disciplines.