Signal-Responsive Hybrid Biomaterials with Built-in Boolean Logic

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This award to Clarkson University by the Biomaterials program in the Division of Materials Research is to develop new approaches for the fabrication of signal-responsive biomaterials with the built-in Boolean logic, which is capable of switching physical properties (such as optical, electrical, magnetic, wettability, permeability, etc.) upon application of the incoming chemical signals and to the built-in logic gates. The logic gates will be composed of immobilized enzyme systems integrated with responsive polymeric supports that will respond to the chemical input signals according to the Boolean logic, and transfer the output signal to the responsive polymeric support. The electron exchange between the redox-active polymeric support and the enzymatic system will result in the reduction or oxidation of the polymer. The expected changes of the oxidation or protonation states of the polymeric support will result in the changes of the composition/structure of the polymeric matrix support, thus resulting in changes of the specific properties of the matrix. Mixed polymer brushes will be used as the most promising pH-sensitive polymeric structures that can effectively respond to the pH changes generated by the enzyme logic gates. The existing knowledge in the fields such as: a) biocomputing (enzyme-based logic gates); b) electronic / ionic coupling between enzymes and polymers; and c) properties of signal-responsive polymers (specifically, mixed polymer brushes), will provide solid background for further development of the integrated biohybrid systems logically responding to external signals as proposed in this project. The challenging aim of the project is the appropriate interaction between the immobilized enzyme-systems and host-polymeric matrices to allow efficient transduction of the enzymatic reactions into the properties of the host-material. Development of the proposed approach will directly impact the implementation of recent advances in biotechnology (biocomputing) to industrial technologies with broad applications, including bioelectronics, bionanotechnology and nanomedicine. Another priority of the proposed project is the involvement of the brightest high school, undergraduate and graduate students in modern biomolecular and chemical research. The project will result in the training of these students in the areas of complex enzyme systems, biocomputing and surface science. Students will greatly benefit from the interdisciplinary nature of this project. Significant effort will be directed to increase the numbers of students, especially minorities and women, who pursue advanced degrees in science and engineering.