Materials World Network: Switchable Polymer Interfaces for Bottom-up Stimulation of Mammalian Cells

技术摘要：该项目的重点是设计和表征由功能化混合聚合物刷组成的响应性聚合物薄膜平台，用于刺激触发功能分子暴露于界面。 该项目支持来自克莱姆森大学、克拉克森大学、加州大学戴维斯分校、德累斯顿工业大学、德累斯顿莱布尼茨聚合物研究所、哥廷根大学和莱布尼茨分析科学研究所（位于柏林）的一个国际性的美国-德国研究团队，该团队由聚合物/表面/材料科学和生物工程方面的专家组成。德国科学基金会（DFG）为德国参与者提供财政支持。具有动态变化界面特性的响应性聚合物材料由于其在生物医学应用中的巨大潜力而受到越来越多的关注。这种材料的重要性质之一是在接收外部信号时呈现、释放、隐藏或捕获不同官能团的能力。 因此，建议开发和研究用于功能分子（例如，生长因子），其对于干细胞的存活和分化是重要的。 具体而言，实验工作的重点是：（a）功能混合聚合物刷的精确设计和合成;（B）功能化混合刷的微观结构和刺激触发的动态变化的综合研究;（c）功能化混合刷系统与功能化探针的动态相互作用的研究;和（e）多功能动态生物界面的开发。 它还预计将确定如何不同的刺激，如温度，磁场和电信号可以用来引入局部变化的混合刷生物界面，并导致暴露的功能分子。 实验研究将通过使用三种互补技术的粗粒度理论建模进行验证：（a）自洽场（SCF）计算，（B）平均场单链模拟和分子动力学，以及（c）唯象标度考虑。 非技术摘要：这个跨学科的项目旨在通过使用新型刺激响应聚合物基质来影响细胞生物学和生物技术的聚合物材料领域。该项目通过跨学科的学生培训和在课程中引入新的教育模块，提供了广泛的机会，将研究和教育结合起来。 研究人员计划让本科生和研究生参与拟议的研究，并培训他们获得（i）纳米纤维技术的专业知识，（ii）熟悉材料化学的现代概念，（iii）合成和表征纳米结构聚合物材料和生物界面的能力，（iv）运行实验，收集数据和发现的能力，以及（v）撰写科学论文和进行有效技术演示的能力。学生也将大大受益于参与美国和德国研究机构之间的广泛合作。

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT:This project focuses on design and characterization of a responsive thin polymer film platform comprised of functionalized mixed polymer brushes for the stimuli-triggered exposure of functional molecules to interfaces. The project supports an international US-German research team from Clemson University, Clarkson University, University of California in Davis, Dresden Technical University, Leibniz-Institute for Polymer Research Dresden, University of Göttingen, and Leibniz-Institute for Analytical Sciences (in Berlin) consisting of experts in polymer/surface/materials science and bioengineering. Financial support for the German participants is provided by the German Science Foundation (DFG). Responsive polymer materials with dynamically changing interfacial properties are receiving increased interest, thanks to their great potential for biomedical applications. One of the important properties of such materials is the capability to present, to release, to hide, or to capture different functional groups upon receiving external signals. Therefore, it is proposed to develop and study the responsive mixed brush platform for stimuli-triggered, programmable interfacial exposure of functional molecules (e.g., growth factors) that are important for the survival and differentiation of stem cells. Specifically, the focus of the experimental work is on: (a) precise design and synthesis of functional mixed polymer brushes; (b) comprehensive study of the microstructure and stimuli-triggered dynamical changes in the functionalized mixed brushes; (c) study of the dynamic interactions of the functionalized mixed brush system with functionalized probes; and (e) development of multifunctional dynamic biointerfaces. It is also expected to determine how different stimuli such as temperature, magnetic field, and electrical signals can be used to introduce local changes in the mixed brush biointerface and result in exposure of the functional molecules. The experimental studies will be paralleled by a coarse-grained theoretical modeling using three complementary techniques: (a) self-consistent field (SCF) calculations, (b) single-chain-in-mean-field simulations and molecular dynamics, and (c) phenomenological scaling considerations. NON-TECHNICAL ABSTRACT:This interdisciplinary project is aimed to impact the field of polymeric materials for cell biology and biotechnology through the use of novel stimuli-responsive polymeric substrates. The project provides extensive opportunities to integrate research and education through cross-disciplinary student training and introduction of new educational modules in the curriculum. The investigators plan to involve both undergraduate and graduate students in the proposed research and to train them to gain (i) expertise in nanofabrication techniques, (ii) familiarity with modern concepts in materials chemistry, (iii) the ability to synthesize and characterize nanostructured polymeric materials and biointerfaces, (iv) the ability to run experiments, gather data, and make discoveries, and (v) the ability to write scientific papers and make effective technical presentations. Students also will greatly benefit from their extensive collaborations among the participating US and German research institutions.