Molec Princ Funct Biomatr

Catalog description

Functional biomaterials are non-viable materials that have been designed or modified in order to elicit specific biological responses when interacting with human fluids, cells, tissues, or organs. This course will focus on chemical principles utilized in endowing polymeric materials with biological functionality for medical applications. Following a brief review of polymer properties with a focus on hydrogels, topics addressed will include attachment of proteins to materials, induction of cell-binding and differentiation, responsive polymers, and spatial and temporal control of material properties for biological signaling. Unifying concepts will be introduced by directed reading and discussion of landmark papers in the biomaterials literature. Supplemental laboratory exercises will be utilized to illustrate selected concepts and introduce experimental procedures.