Bioorigami Hydrogels composed of Natural and Synthetic Biomaterials

非技术性：天然生物材料的一种常见几何结构是分层弯曲和折叠设计，可以在广泛的生命系统中观察到，例如大脑中的脑回或肠细胞上的微绒毛或真菌中的弯曲孢子囊。然而，对细胞的行为与这种弯曲和折叠的关系缺乏基本的理解。该奖项旨在自组装和表征仿生弯曲和折叠几何形状的合成和细胞衍生复合水凝胶，并表征生物材料和细胞在这些环境中的行为。通过这项工作获得的见解可以为理解，支持和加强植物和动物王国的发展和恢复提供信息。除了研究，还将强调通过课程改革，本科和K-12教育，通过研究经验，以及推广到当地学校系统，增强生物材料和组织工程的兴奋，以更广泛的公众和社会通过讲座演示和联合项目与教育工作者在创造性的艺术。技术：该奖项支持由合成和细胞衍生生物材料组成的模型生物折纸水凝胶的创建和表征，阐明细胞在这些几何形状中生物化学和小分子生产活性升高的机制，以及研究在发育，愈合和稳态过程中弯曲和折叠几何形状中分层和流体梯度的作用。在该项目中，将创建模型水凝胶系统，以便可以单独分离和询问折叠间距，曲率，三维性和应变对细胞行为的作用。在这项调查中使用的方法将包括以下内容：微米和纳米图案化，三维结构，应变工程，材料表征，生化和细胞分析，包括在体外报告的信号通路激活和细胞骨架重组，定量3D图像分析和光学切片，晶格光片显微镜，统计设计的实验，和有限元建模。该研究计划将促进多学科的合作奋进整合细胞生物学和工程，并为研究生创造独特的组合培训途径，以挑战当前最先进的技术和研究设计。

Non-technical:A common geometric architecture for naturally occurring biomaterials is a hierarchical curvature and folding design that can be observed in a wide range of living systems such as the gyri in the brain or the microvilli on intestinal cells or the curved sporangia in fungi. Yet a fundamental understanding of the behavior of cells in relationship to this curvature and folding is lacking. This award seeks to self-assemble and characterize both synthetic and cell-derived composite hydrogels in biomimetic curved and folded geometries and characterize the behavior of the biomaterials and of the cells in these environments. Insights gained through this work may inform efforts to understand, support, and enhance development and recovery from injury in both the plant and the animal kingdoms. In addition to research, an emphasis will also be made on augmenting graduate education through curriculum changes, undergraduate and K-12 education through research experiences, as well as outreach to the local school system and enhancing excitement of biomaterials and tissue engineering to the broader public and society through lecture-demonstrations and joint projects with educators in the creative arts. Technical:This award supports the creation and characterization of model bio-origami hydrogels composed of synthetic and cell-derived biomaterials, elucidation of the mechanisms for elevated activity of biochemical and small molecule production by cells in these geometries and investigation of the role of layering and fluidic gradients in curved and folded geometries during development, healing, and homeostasis. In the project, model hydrogel systems will be created so that the roles of folding pitch, curvature, three-dimensionality, and strain on cellular behavior can be individually isolated and interrogated. The methods used in this investigation will include the following: micro- and nano-patterning, three-dimensional structuring, strain engineering, material characterization, biochemical and cellular assays including in vitro reporters of signaling pathway activation and cytoskeletal reorganization, quantitative 3D image analysis and optical slicing, lattice light sheet microscopy, statistical design of experiments, and finite element modeling. This research program will catalyze multidisciplinary collaborative endeavor integrating cell biology and engineering, and create avenues for unique combinatorial training for graduate students in techniques and study designs that challenge the current state of the art.