Rational design, synthesis and immunocharacterization of next-generation biomaterials

生物材料是与生物系统（如我们的身体）相互作用的任何材料。许多新的生物材料被设计成在微观水平上引导我们体内的细胞。其中一个例子是MXene，这是一个具有广泛生物功能的非常小的颗粒家族。这些包括生物传感器，骨替代和药物输送系统。在这项研究计划中，我们将研究生物材料的设计和合成以及生物材料与免疫细胞对话所使用的语言。这很重要，因为免疫系统通常保护我们的身体免受有害异物的侵害，也可以作为任何植入材料和我们身体之间的屏障。此外，任何生物材料要发挥其功能，都需要与免疫细胞相容，以便在植入后长时间留在体内。我们最近发现，MXenes可以直接与我们的免疫细胞对话，因为它们的结构。MXenes由碳和金属核心组成，周围环绕着许多称为官能团的原子团。这些表面官能团是MXene用来与细胞对话的。此外，我们认为生物材料传递给免疫细胞的信息可以通过改变其表面官能团来改变。 目的：拟议的NSERC DG计划的长期目标是开发一种新型的“免疫指导”材料设计平台，在该平台上，可以合理设计和合成材料，使其具有特定的免疫特性，以提高其在宿主组织内的稳定性和功效。为此，提出了四个短期目标。 1.我们将构建MXene粒子，并向免疫细胞发送不同的“信息”。我们拥有通过对MXene表面官能团进行特定改变来构建不同类型MXene颗粒的专业知识。2.我们将使用各种科学工具来了解这些粒子的结构。我们还将进行实验，以确保这些颗粒对活细胞无害。 3.我们将研究MXene颗粒如何与免疫细胞对话。这些实验将在细胞和小鼠中进行。 4.我们将描述免疫细胞如何解读MXene颗粒传递的“信息”。这些信息最终将帮助我们建立计算机程序来预测我们想要的任何功能所需的表面官能团。意义：这项研究计划将有助于开发生物材料的新方法。这里获得的知识将帮助我们预测生物材料的设计，这些材料在制造之前对免疫细胞是友好的。我的研究计划也将作为HQP在生物材料合成，表征和材料免疫学的更广泛的跨学科领域的培训平台。这将使HQP在未来的职业生涯中取得广泛的成功。知识产权将得到开发，新发现将带来建立分拆公司的机会。

A biomaterial is any material that interacts with a biological system such as our bodies. Many newer biomaterials have been designed to guide the cells in our bodies on a microscopic level. An example of this is MXene, a family of very small particles with a wide range of biological functions. These include biosensors, bone replacements and drug delivery systems. In this research program, we will study the design and synthesis of biomaterials as well as the language used by biomaterials to talk to immune cells. This is important because the immune system, which normally protects our body from harmful foreign substances, can also act as a barrier between any implanted material and our body. Further, for any biomaterial to perform its function, it needs to be compatible with immune cells to stay in the body for a long time after implantation. We recently found that MXenes can directly talk to our immune cells due to their structure. MXenes are made up of a carbon and metal core surrounded by many groups of atoms called functional groups. These surface functional groups are what MXene uses to talk to cells. Furthermore, we think the message delivered by biomaterials to immune cells can be altered by changing their surface functional groups. Objectives: The long-term objective of the proposed NSERC DG program is to develop a novel "immune-instructive" materials design platform where materials can be rationally designed and synthesized to possess specific immune characteristics to improve their stability and efficacy inside the host tissue. To accomplish this, four short-term objectives are proposed. 1.We will build MXene particles with different "messages" to immune cells. We have expertise building different types of MXene particles by making specific changes to the surface functional groups of MXene. 2.We will use various scientific tools to understand the structure of these particles. We will also perform experiments to make sure these particles are not harmful to living cells. 3.We will study how MXene particles talk to immune cells. These experiments will be performed on both cells and in mice. 4.We will characterise how the immune cells interpret the "message" delivered by MXene particles. This information will eventually help us build computer programs to predict the surface functional groups needed for any function that we want. Significance: This research program will help develop a new way for biomaterials to be made. The knowledge gained here will help us predict the design of biomaterials which is friendly to immune cells before they are made. My research program will also act as a platform for the training of HQP in the broader interdisciplinary area of biomaterials synthesis, characterization and immunology of materials. This will enable HQP to succeed in a wide range of future careers. Intellectual property will be developed, and the new discoveries will lead to opportunities to set up a Spin-off company.