Mechanical testing of small hydrated biomaterials in fluid under controlled temperature

水合生物材料是组织工程、接触透镜（CL）开发和食品中的重要组分。水合生物材料的机械性能是影响其功能的关键参数;共同申请人团队需要在受控温度的水性条件下对小水合样品进行有效和准确的机械表征，以进行跨学科研究。目前，在滑铁卢大学（UW），该团队依靠传统的机械致动器和称重传感器系统进行拉伸和压缩测试或原子力显微镜（AFM）。这些测量只能在华盛顿大学的空气中对干燥或半水合样本进行，从而产生不准确的结果。否则，研究人员必须使用另一个非本地机构的设施。活体生物样本具有时间敏感性，需要运输进行检测，并具有生物危害。不准确的结果和样本量限制（例如，传统机械致动器测量小样本的挑战）可能导致研究和培训延迟，需要额外的研究资金和HQP。我们建议从CellScale购买MicroTester（MT）G2;这是一种多模式、微尺度机械测试系统，可在受控温度下在含水条件下测试软材料。MT的优势包括在水溶液条件下对小样品（直径低至50 µm）进行低力测量（低至10 nN），高质量的光学成像系统和实时用户反馈。凭借强大的设置和易于操作的用户友好界面，MT使来自不同背景的用户能够以最少的培训进行测试。所要求的MT有助于开发生物医学和材料：（1）组织发育和老化的体外模型;（2）用于组织工程和食品应用的水凝胶支架;（3）用于CL和眼部应用的新型软材料。因此，MT提供了研究项目所需的多功能和准确的表征，并将能够建立新的研究合作，并吸引更广泛的研究合作伙伴。 所要求的设备将是滑铁卢地区大学第一台用于小样品的机械测试设备，配有温度控制液浴。申请人、共同申请人和主要用户在生物材料、CL、可持续材料和食品加工的机械和材料表征方面拥有丰富的经验。MT将使该团队能够加速UW的研究和开发，保持UW在这些领域的领导地位。除了与工业合作伙伴的合作外，来自6个申请人和主要用户团队的50多名学生将受益于机械表征系统，以促进他们在工程，生物学和视觉科学方面的教育和培训。学员将学习专业的机械特性，这将使他们能够适应快速发展的生物医学和食品行业。

Hydrated biomaterials are important components in tissue engineering, contact lens (CL) development and food products. The mechanical properties of hydrated biomaterials are critical parameters affecting their functions; efficient and accurate mechanical characterization of small hydrated samples in aqueous conditions with controlled temperature is needed for the team of co-applicants to pursue interdisciplinary research. Currently, at the University of Waterloo (UW), the team relies on conventional mechanical actuator and load cell systems for tensile and compressive testing or atomic force microscopy (AFM). The measurements can only be performed on dry or semi-hydrated samples in air at UW, yielding inaccurate results. Otherwise, researchers must access facilities in another non-local institution. Live biological samples are time sensitive and biohazards to be transported for testing. Inaccurate results and sample size limitation (e.g. challenges in measuring small samples by conventional mechanical actuator) can cause delays in research and training, requiring additional research funding and HQP. We propose purchasing the MicroTester (MT) G2 from CellScale; a multimode, microscale mechanical testing system to test soft materials in aqueous conditions under controlled temperature. The advantages of the MT include low force measurements (down to 10 nN) for small samples (down to 50 µm in diameter) in aqueous conditions, a high-quality optical imaging system and real-time user feedback. With a robust setup and user-friendly interface for easy operation, the MT enables testing to be performed by users from various backgrounds with minimal training. The requested MT is instrumental to developing biomedical and materials for: (1) in vitro models for tissue development and aging; (2) hydrogel scaffolds for tissue engineering and food product applications; (3) new soft materials for CL and ocular applications. Thus, the MT provides a versatile and accurate characterization needed for the research programs and would enable building new research collaborations and engaging broader research partners. The requested equipment would be the first mechanical testing equipment for small samples with temperature-controlled fluid bath in Waterloo Region universities. The applicant, co-applicants, and major users have vast experience in mechanical and material characterization for biomaterials, CL, sustainable materials, and food processing. The MT will allow the team to accelerate research and development at UW, maintaining UW's leadership in these fields. In addition to collaboration with industrial partners, over 50 students from the 6 applicants and major users' teams will benefit from access to the mechanical characterization system to advance their education and training in engineering, biology and vision science. Trainees will learn specialized mechanical characterization that will equip them for the fast-growing biomedical and food industries.