Multiscale polymer brush coating of hydrogels

We developed a platform technology by multiscale polymer brush coating of hydrogels to decouple the design of surface bio-functions and bulk mechanical properties. Polymer brush chemistry and conformation are tuned to exhibit diverse bio-functions; hydrogel network topology is tailored to vary mechanical properties, such as modulus, stretch, strength, and toughness by orders of magnitude to meet the mechanical needs across different implant sites. Current functional development focuses on bioadhesion, biofouling resistance, anti-fibrosis, and conduction. Future endeavors will be placed on bio-sensing modality. 

Living implantable device to manage chronic diseases

We developed a hydrogel-based device with encapsulated living cells and surface immunomodulatory coating. In this design, the cell density is optimized to maximize the therapeutic protein release concentration and prevent cell overcrowding; the hydrogel is reinforced by silicone to enhance material stability; the surface of the device is coated with immunomodulatory molecules or drugs to modulate the foreign body response. This is a platform technology in which a wide selection of xenogeneic therapeutic cells can be used to manage various chronic diseases. For example, when pancreatic islet cells are encapsulated, a real-time glucose sensing and insulin release closed-loop drug delivery system is enabled to manage type-1 diabetes.

Relevant papers on this topic

Jiawei Yang, Yichao Zhao, William J. Jeang, Steffen Pabel, Bryan M. Wong, Rajith Manan, Matthias Nahrendorf, Robert Langer, Daniel G. Anderson, submitted.

William Jeang, Matthew Bochenek, Suman Bose, Yichao Zhao, Bryan Wong, Jiawei Yang, Alexis Jiang, Robert Langer, Daniel Anderson. 2024. Silicone cryogel skeletons enhance the survival and mechanical integrity of hydrogel-encapsulated cell therapies. Science Advances.10, eadk5949