Biomimetic Nano-Composite Materials for Tissue Engineering

本项目旨在利用表面修饰的银纳米颗粒来提高胶原基支架的导电性、抗菌性和抗生物膜活性以及机械性能。此外，我们将探索光响应材料的制造，其性能将远程修改后，光激发的银纳米粒子纳入材料。在生成这些材料的过程中，我们将更好地了解如何使用纳米颗粒的大小，浓度和形状来控制材料的特性。这些混合材料的开发将产生具有上级功能的胶原基支架，用于工程化或再生先天再生能力降低的复杂组织，如患病的心脏、肌肉、结缔组织和皮肤。

This project aims to use surface modified silver nanoparticles to improve the electrical conductivity, antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity, as well as the mechanical properties of collagen-based scaffolds. Furthermore, we will explore the fabrication of light responsive materials whose properties will be remotely modified upon light excitation of the silver nanoparticles incorporated within the materials. In generating these materials, we will gain a better understanding of how nanoparticle size, concentration and shape can be used to control the material’s properties. The development of these hybrid-materials will yield collagen-based scaffolds with superior functionality for engineering or regenerating complex tissues with reduced innate regenerative abilities like diseased heart, muscles, connective tissues, and skin.