Modification and characterisation or surfaces and plasma processes for biotechnological applications

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One of my research program objectives is to develop plasma- based surface modification strategies at atmospheric pressure to precisely control the functionalization of biomaterials for further conjugation of bioactive molecules. This requires correlating the plasma characteristics with the resulting plasma -treated surface chemistry using appropriate experimental planning and mathematical modelling. Another objective of my research program is to mimic the extracellular matrix on the surface of biomaterials by decorating it with both nanometric and micrometric geometrical cues containing bioactive molecules that promote cell adhesion, migration, and differentiation. The first objective of my research program will center on correlating plasma characteristics and surface chemistry of functionalized or coated polymers in dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) atmospheric pressure plasmas. In the course of the present research program, FTIR emission and absorption spectra will be simultaneously recorded to characterize atmospheric plasmas in which gaseous precursors are not only consumed, but also converted into other chemical species. The quantitative information about the nature and concentration of the newly formed species (obtained through absorption spectroscopy) and energetic parameters  (obtained by emission spectroscopy) will be correlated with the plasma--treated material surface physicochemical properties using multivariate analysis. The second objective of my research program will be to mimic the extracellular matrix on the surface of biomaterials by decorating it with both nanometric and micrometric geometrical cues containing bioactive molecules that promote cell adhesion, migration, and differentiation. To further our understanding of the geometry and sizes of bioactive cues and that drive cell differentiation, we will engineer trifunctional biomaterials patterned surfaces with cell adhesion, cell migration, and cell differentiation molecules at both the nano and micro scales. To do that, we will first use electron beam nanolithography to conjugate nano areas of the surface with one of the three aforementioned types of peptides. Thereafter, this nanopatterned surface will be used for more classical microlithography, to pattern the two other types of bioactive molecules on patterned micro areas . At the end, the resulting surface will consist in a trifunctionalized surface which somewhat mimics the extracellular matrix by exposing geometrically organized biological cues at both the nano and micro scales to the cellular environment. These surfaces will be investigated as to their potential to promote human mesenchymal stem cell differentiation.