Bioinspired Hydrogel Adhesives for Next-Generation Bioglues with Multifunctionality

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Background: Bioglues are under active development to replace sutures for wound closure. However, existing bioglues are either mechanically weak or incompatible with cells and tissues. Recent advances in bioinspiration and hydrogels promise to overcome these challenges. The PI reported a family of bioinspired tough hydrogel adhesives with superior adhesion and mechanical properties. They can be used to develop the next-generation bioglues, but there remain three primary challenges: (1) the design and chemistry of the existing systems is incompatible with syringe injection and in-situ gelation; (2) the mechanics of these adhesives, including high strain rate response and fatigue fracture, remains unexplored; (3) the functionality is limited to mechanical support (gluing separating tissues or sealing), whereas biodegradation and drug-delivery function is missing. Plan: This program is to design bioinspired injectable tough hydrogel adhesives for the next-generation multifunctional bioglues. Such bioglues can be delivered via syringe injection, form a tough matrix in-situ that bonds strongly to tissues, and undergo controlled biodegradation. They can replace sutures and release therapeutics to improve wound healing. The short-term objectives include (1) Developing tough bioglues with new adhesive design, click chemistry and degradation reactions; (2) Studying tissue-adhesion mechanics of bioglues; (3) Exploring their use in drug delivery, wound healing and energy-absorbing applications. The long-term vision is to improve the healthcare of soft dynamic tissues with soft biomaterials with superior biomechanical properties. Besides the wound closure, the bioglues can pave way for effective therapies for the repair and regeneration of cartilage, tendon, and vocal fold. This program will provide graduate and undergraduate students with extensive transdisciplinary knowledge and skills. Impact: The program is innovative. It will present the first tough hydrogels with click chemistry and controlled degradability, a novel biomimetic design of injectable hydrogel adhesives that mimic the slug mucus, and a new understanding of tissue adhesion and high strain rate mechanics of hydrogel adhesives. This program will make social,technological and economic impacts. It will represent a big advance in biomimetics and impact a broad community. The tough bioglues can transform the design and application of surgical glues and impact many areas, including wound dressings, hemostats, sealants, drug delivery and biomedical devices. This program will set a foundation for the PI's long-term research in tissue repair, mechanotransduction and regenerative medicine. The PI will collaborate with biomedical companies and hospitals to explore translation of these materials into healthcare products, including surgical glues and wound dressings, to benefit patients in the clinic.