INSPIRE Track 1: Multifunctional Interfaces for Responsive Materials

本次INSPIRE奖由纽约州立大学石溪分校材料研究部生物材料项目颁发，旨在开发新型材料运输系统，以及用于从药物输送到生物燃料生产等技术领域的水纳米团簇分散体的创建（和调整性质）的通用方法，以及对团簇形成和稳定性机制的理论理解。该奖项由材料研究部的生物材料和聚合物项目以及国际和综合活动办公室的国际科学与工程项目共同资助。此外，工程理事会的以下项目——生物医学工程、颗粒和多相过程、界面过程和热力学——都属于化学、生物工程、环境和运输系统部门，也共同资助了该奖项。该项目的主要重点是开发一种合成结构的基础科学方法，该结构具有其生物对应物的所有特性，可以以受控的方式对外部刺激做出反应，通过在图案表面上使用合成聚合物肽结构，通过电场操纵来实现细胞迁移和分化的空间控制。这些敏感的表面将对表面的发展产生明显的影响，这些表面可以模板生物矿化和指导胚胎发生结果的支架。该项目将在胶体和界面科学、多尺度建模和统计力学、生物物理表征、材料科学、药物输送、界面过程、分子工程、多相处理和纳米技术等领域引领一个新的跨学科和潜在的变革研究。通过迭代过程，理论模型将不断探索和完善，这将使干细胞、人类上皮细胞和内皮细胞的细胞实验设计获得最佳结构。在工程、材料科学和合成生物学交叉领域的跨学科和多学科研究上的投资，可以预期取得重大进展，这些研究的重点是推进关于形成具有可调尺寸、形状和解离性质的平衡纳米团簇的水分散的可能性的重要基本问题的基本实验和理论答案。该项目更广泛的技术影响是在开发器官发育、组织组织、干细胞分化的基本过程模型，以及设计和合成具有定制特性的新型聚合物和动态表面，如果项目成功，这些表面可能具有许多工业应用。在教育和推广活动方面，该项目旨在将研究和教育无缝结合，并提供强大的指导计划，在学生的教育和专业发展过程中经常保持与学生的联系。通过提出的模型系统，学生通过实践、观察和充分参与研究工作来学习，从概念到出版物，并通过标准研究建议的指标进行评估，即创新、影响和出版。计划中的高中课程包括结构化的活动，为学生提供独立研究所需的基本技能，包括统计模块，数据挖掘，适当的参考符号，保存实验室笔记本的技能，知识产权问题的意识，申请专利，教育和科学伦理，以及在环境问题和意识的小组中工作。并提供处理和处置危险化学品和生物废物的安全培训课程。作为国际活动的一部分，该项目计划与德国多特蒙德大学合作，在那里复制纽约州立大学校园实施的教育和推广模式。此外，该项目计划通过与这些地区的大学和高中合作，将这些外展活动扩大到欧洲和亚洲。

This INSPIRE award by the Biomaterials program in the Division of Materials Research to the State University of New York Stony Brook is in developing novel materials transport systems, and a general method for creating (and tuning the properties of) aqueous nanocluster dispersions of interest for technologies that range from drug delivery to biofuel production, as well as a theoretical understanding of the mechanism for cluster formation and stability. This award is cofunded by the Biomaterials and the Polymer programs in the Division of Materials Research and International Science and Engineering program in the Office of International and Integrative Activities. In addition, the following programs in the Engineering Directorate - Biomedical Engineering, Particulate and Multiphase Processes and Interfacial Processes and Thermodynamics - all in the Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems are also cofunding this award. The primary focus of this project is fundamental science approaches in developing a synthetic structure that has all the properties of its biological counterpart that can respond in a controlled manner to an external stimulus, by using synthetic polymer-peptide constructs on a patterned surface, manipulated by electric fields to achieve spatial control of cell migration and differentiation. These responsive surfaces would have a clear impact for the development of surfaces that can template biomineralization and scaffolds that direct the outcome of embryogenesis. This project would lead to a new interdisciplinary and potentially transformative research at the interface of colloid and interface science, multiscale modeling and statistical mechanics, biophysical characterization, materials sciences, drug delivery, interfacial processes, molecular engineering, multiphase processing and nanotechnology. Using an iterative process, theoretical models will be continuously probed and refined, and this would enable obtaining the optimal structures in designing the cell experiments using stem cells, human epithelial and endothelial cells. Significant advances could be expected as the result of this investment in inter- and multi-disciplinary research at the intersection of the engineering and material sciences, and synthetic biology that focus on advancing the fundamental experimental and theoretical answers to important fundamental questions about the possibility of forming aqueous dispersions of equilibrium nanoclusters with tunable size, shape and dissociation properties.The broader technological impact of this project is in developing a model fundamental process of organ development, tissue organization, stem cell differentiation, and designing and synthesizing novel polymeric and dynamic surfaces with tailored properties that could have many industrial applications, if the project is successful. With respect to educational and outreach activities, the project is for the seamless integration of research and education, with a robust mentoring program, where contact with the students is often maintained throughout their educational and professional development. With the proposed model system, students learn by doing, observing, and participating fully in the research efforts from concepts through publications, and are evaluated by metrics for standard research proposals, i.e. innovation, impact, and publication. The planned high school program includes structured activities, which provide the students with the basic skill required for independent research, including statistics modules, data mining, proper reference notation, skills in keeping laboratory notebooks, awareness of intellectual property issues, filing for patents, ethics in education and sciences, and working within a group on environmental questions and awareness, and providing safety training courses in handling and disposal of hazardous chemicals and biological wastes. As part of the International activity, the project plans to initiate collaborations with University of Dortmund, Germany, where the education and outreach models practiced at the SUNY campus will be replicated. In addition, the project plans to expand these outreach activities in Europe and Asia by collaborating with Universities and High Schools in these areas.