Dynamic biomaterials to study, manipulate and screen cell-matrix interactions

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Biomaterials based strategies have the potential to improve human health by understanding and controlling the way cells behave with their environment, which will ultimately lead to the development of materials for the treatment of diseases. Cells are surround by a dynamic four-dimensional extracellular matrix (ECM) composed of chemical and mechanical signals in the form of macromolecules that change in space and time. Currently, we rely on outdated and inefficient tools to study the cell-material interfaces that exists in the ECM. Therefore, we need to build materials where properties can be easily tailored and changed over time to probe interactions at the cell-material interface. There is a great opportunity for material scientists and biologists to work together to better understand the importance of the cellular environment and better elucidate how, when and why materials influence cellular behaviours.