Week of Undergraduate Excellence 2019
Oral Presentation (10 min talk + 5 min questions)
May 22, 2019
Evolution of Biomimetic Proteoglycans—From Molecular Synthesis to Tissue Engineering Scaffold:
Proteoglycans (PGs) found within the body are responsible for encouraging cell growth, organizing the extracellular matrix (ECM) of tissues, influencing collagen fibrillogenesis, and regulating skin tensile strength. These macromolecules are composed of protein cores with attached glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains. With aging, enzymes responsible for breaking down PGs become more active, reducing the overall concentration of PGs in the body. Therapy designed to increase the concentration of PGs in the body is challenging because natural PGs introduced into the body are still susceptible to enzymatic degradation. Biomimetic proteoglycans (BPGs) can be created using an enzymatically resistant polyacrylic acid (PAA) core with covalently attached natural chondroitin sulfate (CS) bristles that mimic the three dimensional bottlebrush architecture and hydrating properties of natural PGs. BPGs with PAA cores of varied molecular weight have been synthesized (PAA10kDa-CS, PAA250kDa-CS) and their distinct properties can influence their future applications. This research aims to explore the implementation of BPGs in tissue engineering scaffolds. When dissolved in solution, BPGs demonstrate viscoelastic properties which require rheometric analysis in order to characterize. Rheometric analysis of gel-like samples prepared using BPGs, water, and potential cross-linking agents provides a foundation for future tissue engineering applications, where mechanical properties, flow behavior, and cytocompatibility will be evaluated.
Oral Presentation (10 min talk + 5 min questions)
May 22, 2019
Evolution of Biomimetic Proteoglycans—From Molecular Synthesis to Tissue Engineering Scaffold:
Proteoglycans (PGs) found within the body are responsible for encouraging cell growth, organizing the extracellular matrix (ECM) of tissues, influencing collagen fibrillogenesis, and regulating skin tensile strength. These macromolecules are composed of protein cores with attached glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains. With aging, enzymes responsible for breaking down PGs become more active, reducing the overall concentration of PGs in the body. Therapy designed to increase the concentration of PGs in the body is challenging because natural PGs introduced into the body are still susceptible to enzymatic degradation. Biomimetic proteoglycans (BPGs) can be created using an enzymatically resistant polyacrylic acid (PAA) core with covalently attached natural chondroitin sulfate (CS) bristles that mimic the three dimensional bottlebrush architecture and hydrating properties of natural PGs. BPGs with PAA cores of varied molecular weight have been synthesized (PAA10kDa-CS, PAA250kDa-CS) and their distinct properties can influence their future applications. This research aims to explore the implementation of BPGs in tissue engineering scaffolds. When dissolved in solution, BPGs demonstrate viscoelastic properties which require rheometric analysis in order to characterize. Rheometric analysis of gel-like samples prepared using BPGs, water, and potential cross-linking agents provides a foundation for future tissue engineering applications, where mechanical properties, flow behavior, and cytocompatibility will be evaluated.