CAREER: Design and Development of Zwitterionic Conjugated Polyelectrolyte Platform as Next-Generation Biomaterials

非技术性：阿克伦大学材料研究部生物材料项目的CAREER奖旨在研究共轭聚合物，这些聚合物在不同的应用中引起了人们的极大兴趣，以提高生物电子器件的性能。然而，常规的共轭聚合物不能提供所有需要的功能。该项目的目标是通过开发一种新的两性离子共轭聚合物平台来解决共轭聚合物在不同应用中的关键挑战。这种新的生物材料平台可能有潜力转化为临床应用，以造福公众健康。拟议的项目包括从化学，物理，材料科学和生物学到设备制造和测试的多学科知识。因此，拟议的活动将为K-12学生和教师、本科生和研究生提供极好的教育和推广机会。PI计划让K-12学生及其教师接触尖端和多学科的生物技术和生物医学技术。拟议教育计划的核心是基于项目/问题的学习，因为这是一种更有效的学习方法。将积极招募学生，重点是代表性不足的少数民族和妇女，在这个项目中进行研究。建议的工作将有助于促进高科技环境的发展，在东北部俄亥俄州通过这个科学和工程education.Technical：这项研究的目的是开发一个通用的两性离子共轭双（CP）平台，以解决生物医学应用共轭聚合物的关键挑战。由共轭主链和多功能两性离子侧链组成的两性离子型聚合物将所有基本功能和可调性质整合到一种材料中。两性离子材料通过共轭主链可以获得可调的导电、光学和抗菌性能。低生物相容性的共轭聚合物通过侧链可以获得优异的生物相容性、可控的生物相容性和对环境刺激的敏感性。这项工作将为共轭聚合物和两性离子聚合物的化学和物理研究提供有价值的见解。它将在生物材料领域培育一个新的多学科研究领域。 通过这个项目，PI计划建立一套设计规则，以指导未来创建先进的生物材料。建议的研究活动将提供良好的教育和外展机会，以激发K-12学生对科学和技术的兴趣，并激励学生面对跨学科研究活动的挑战。这项研究的概念，活动和结果将纳入本科和研究生课程。

Non-Technical:This CAREER award by the Biomaterials program in the Division of Materials Research to University of Akron is to study conjugated polymers that have attracted significant interests for different applications to improve the performance of bio-electronic devices. However, conventional conjugated polymers are not able to provide all required functions. The goal of this project is to address key challenges of conjugated polymers for different applications by developing a new zwitterionic conjugated polyelectrolyte platform. This new biomaterial platform could have potential to be translated into clinical applications to benefit public health. The proposed project includes multidisciplinary knowledge from chemistry, physics, materials science and biology to device fabrication and testing. Thus, proposed activities will provide excellent educational and outreach opportunities for K-12 students and teachers, undergraduates and graduate students. The PI plans to expose K-12 students and their teachers to cutting edge and multidisciplinary biotech and biomedical techniques. The core of the proposed education plan is project/problem-based learning, since it is a more effective learning approach. Students, with an emphasis on underrepresented minorities and women, will be actively recruited to conduct research in this project. The proposed work will help promote the development of a high-tech environment in northeast Ohio through this science and engineering education.Technical:The objective of this research is to develop a versatile zwitterionic conjugated polyelectrolyte (CP) platform to address key challenges of conjugated polymers for biomedical applications. Zwitterionic CPs, consisting of conjugated backbones and multifunctional zwitterionic side chains, will integrate all essential functions and tunable properties into one material. Zwitterionic materials will gain tunable conducting, optical and antimicrobial properties through conjugated backbones. Low-biocompatible conjugated polymers will obtain outstanding biocompatibility, controllable antifouling properties and sensitivity to environmental stimuli via side chains. The proposed work will provide valuable insights into polymer chemistry and physics of both conjugated and zwitterionic polymers. It will foster a new multidisciplinary research area in the field of biomaterials. With this project, the PI plans to build a set of design rules to guide in creating advanced biomaterials for the future. The proposed research activities will provide great educational and outreach opportunities to stimulate K-12 students' interest in science and technology, and motivate students to face the challenges of interdisciplinary research activities. The concepts, activities and results from this research will be incorporated into undergraduate and graduate courses.