Collagen-Mimetic Fibrils from Self-Assembly of De Novo Designed Peptides

美国国家科学基金会的大分子、超分子和纳米化学（MSN）项目支持埃默里大学Vincent P. Conticello教授的研究。本项目的重点是合成和结构表征的胶原模拟原纤维衍生自自组装设计的肽。胶原蛋白是细胞外基质的主要结构成分，负责指导人体系统组织的发育和维持结构完整性。目前，用于医疗用途的胶原蛋白衍生物主要来自动物来源，然而，合成胶原蛋白衍生物的开发是一个非常理想的目标，特别是如果材料的化学、生物和机械性能可以定制，以最大限度地发挥其对给定功能的功效。本提案评估了合成胶原纤维的潜力，基于从模型胶原肽分析中发现的结构考虑。这些研究的结果不仅对生成模拟天然结构蛋白的合成胶原材料感兴趣，而且对设计具有超过目前从动物来源获得的材料的功能特性的新型结构也很有意义。该项目专注于化学、生物学、材料科学和纳米技术的交叉领域，为研究生和本科生提供跨学科研究方面的培训。本科生是从参加埃默里大学暑期本科生研究经历（SURE）项目的参与者中选出的。SURE由埃默里学院科学教育中心（ECCSE）组织和管理，该中心是一个卫星大学中心，负责促进本科生对科学的接触、兴趣和参与。此外，美国国家科学基金会还在夏季为高中化学教师提供为期六周的支持。每位教师都会花时间进行研究，并将研究经验转化为高中学生或同事教师的课程计划。

The Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry (MSN) Program at the National Science Foundation supports the research of Professor Vincent P. Conticello of Emory University. This project focuses on the synthesis and structural characterization of collagen-mimetic fibrils derived from self-assembly of designed peptides. Collagen is the main structural component of the extracellular matrix and is responsible for guiding the development and maintaining the structural integrity of tissues in human systems. Currently, collagen derivatives for medical applications are drawn primarily from animal sources, however the development of synthetic collagen derivatives is a highly desirable objective, particularly if the chemical, biological, and mechanical properties of the materials could be tailored to maximize their efficacy with respect to a given function. This proposal evaluates the potential for the creation of synthetic collagen fibers on the basis of structural considerations uncovered from analysis of model collagen peptides. The results of these studies will be of interest not only in generating synthetic collagenous materials that mimic native structural proteins, but also for the design of novel structures with functional properties that exceed those of the materials currently available from animal sources.This project is focused at the interface of chemistry, biology, materials science, and nanotechnology and provides training for graduate and undergraduate students in inter-disciplinary research in a technologically significant area. Undergraduate students are selected from among participants that are involved in the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience at Emory (SURE) program. SURE is organized and administrated out of the Emory College Center for Science Education (ECCSE), a satellite university center responsible for the promotion of undergraduate access, interest, and participation in the sciences. In addition, NSF funding provides support to high-school chemistry teachers for six weeks during the summer. Each teacher will spend time on research and on translating the research experience into a lesson plan for high school students or colleague teachers.