Manipulating collagen hydrogel stiffness to control release of biomolecules and prevent infection for bone repair applications

Project Description

The design of biomaterials to repair large-scale bone defects requires a material platform and accessible biomolecules able to overcome repair obstacles: (1) promote large scale tissue repair, and (2) prevent infection. We will overcome these challenges by (1) controlling the release of biomolecules in collagen biomaterials to better mimic tissues, and (2) manipulate the mechanical properties (stiffness and porosity) of collagen hydrogels to prevent bacterial biofilm formation. We aim to use extracellular vesicles (EV), a type of nanoparticle naturally secreted by all cells which function in cell-cell signaling and combine these with collagen hydrogels to better mimic the structural and bioactive functions of bone. We use a new type of EV, one derived from tissues, as their interactions with cells and tissues remains largely unexplored. We will gain new insights into how hydrogel mechanical properties can control EV release and limit infection to build better materials for bone repair.

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