EAGER: Blood Coagulation Inducing Synthetic Polymer Hydrogel

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This EAGER award by the Biomaterials program in the Division of Materials Research to University of Maryland is aimed at obtaining preliminary data on the material properties and blood coagulation mechanism of a novel polymer hemostatic hydrogel material. Structure-property material optimization experiments will be performed to determine the key chemical, biological, mechanical and morphological characteristics of the hydrogel that are necessary to induce fibrin formation and produce a robust clot. Blood Clotting Factor deficient and Blood Clotting Factor inhibition studies will be completed to isolate the vital biological components in the hemostasis. Dynamic mechanical analysis experiments will be performed to determine the various regions of mechanical equivalency in these 3-component hydrogels, and elucidate the relationship between mechanical properties, Blood Clotting FVII activation, and fibrin formation. The education activities to be undertaken in this work are designed to educate and train next-generation scientists and engineers that embrace diversity as a strength. Initiatives are planned that assist in undergraduate and graduate education, graduate student mentoring, and training of high school students from schools in minority-rich communities.Uncontrolled hemorrhaging accounts for over 1 million deaths world-wide each year and is the leading cause of preventable deaths after hospital admission for physical injury in the U.S. trauma centers. Millions more around the world suffer injuries that need bandaging to prevent blood loss and cover wounds. There is a clear need for the advancement of hemostatic technology in order to develop next generation materials which are inexpensive, safe, and capable of rapidly stopping blood loss. The proposed research will have an immediate and direct impact on the millions of people around the world who die of blood loss each year along with those who suffer from lethal clotting disorders, such as hemophilia. An inexpensive, biocompatible synthetic material that has the ability to induce effective clotting would have a transformative scientific impact and has the potential to save countless lives. Students sponsored from this project will be educated and trained in polymer material science and bioengineering. The PI will utilize the existing programs in the campus to recruit and train students of many different educational levels, and from diverse and under-privilege backgrounds.