Multifunctional Biomaterials from Collagen-Containing Multiblock Polymers

该奖项由特拉华州大学材料研究部的生物材料项目授予，旨在开发新的含胶原结构域的弹性多嵌段共聚物，该共聚物能够通过温度、pH值和金属离子浓度等环境因素触发多级组装。用肽和多肽结构域功能化的材料的开发为详细控制杂交材料的组装、响应性和功能提供了重要的机会。 因此，已经产生了多种包含天然结构蛋白的推定重复序列的多肽，其在纳米技术和医学中具有有用的应用。 本研究项目是确定新的序列和策略的细菌表达的功能性胶原蛋白多肽，以及它们的重组纳入弹性蛋白-胶原蛋白-弹性蛋白三嵌段共聚肽。 本项目的主要目标是：a）重组表达新的亲水性胶原蛋白样多肽并表征其三螺旋形成：B）制备包含热响应性弹性蛋白样结构域和胶原蛋白样结构域的刺激响应性三嵌段和多嵌段共聚物;以及c）组装后材料的表征和加工。基本了解程序化顺序组装，用肽和多肽结构域官能化的材料将提供前所未有的机会来生产具有所需组装结构的材料，并随后控制生物、电和光学活性部分的呈现。 这些结构与有机和无机基团的结合将提供可用作粘合剂、坚韧伤口愈合材料、细胞粘附组织支架和装置中的光学活性层的材料。 拟议的学术方案包括在拟议的研究活动中教授和培训代表性不足群体的学生，包括妇女。 ?艺术的科学？作为该奖项的一部分，将在艺术课上向中学学生介绍材料科学及其属性，并让他们在科学学习通常发生的环境之外参与科学概念。

This award by the Biomaterials program in the Division of Materials Research to University of Delaware is to develop new collagen-domain-containing, elastomeric multiblock copolymers that will be capable of multiple orders of assembly triggered by environmental cues such as temperature, pH, and metal ion concentration. The development of materials functionalized with peptide and polypeptide domains offers important opportunities for detailed control of the assembly, responsiveness, and function of hybrid materials. Accordingly, a variety of polypeptides comprising the putative repeat sequences of natural structural proteins have been produced with useful applications in nanotechnology and medicine. This research project is to identify new sequences and strategies for the bacterial expression of functional collagen polypeptides, as well as their recombinant incorporation into elastin-collagen-elastin triblock copolypeptides. The main objectives of this project are: a) Recombinant expression of new hydrophilic collagen-like polypeptides and characterization of their triple-helix formation; b) Production of stimuli-responsive triblock and multiblock copolymers comprising thermally responsive elastin-like domains and collagen-like domains; and c) Characterization and elaboration of the materials after their assembly.Basic understanding of the programmed sequential assembly, functionalized with peptide and polypeptide domains, will offer unprecedented opportunities to produce materials with desired assembled structures and subsequent control over the presentation of biologically, electrically, and optically active moieties. Elaboration of these structures with organic and inorganic groups will offer materials that can function as adhesives, tough wound healing materials, cell-adherent tissue scaffolds, and optically active layers in devices. The proposed academic programs include teaching and training of students from underrepresented groups including women in the proposed research activities. ?The Science of Art?, an outreach program as part of this award, will present the science of materials and their properties at art classes to students at secondary level and engage them in scientific concepts in an environment outside of that in which science learning normally occurs.