Lecture 13 Molecular Devices.pdf

Molecular Principles of Biomaterials Spring 2003
Lecture 13: Molecular Devices
Last time: biological strategies for anic templating anic materials
anic template materials
Biomimesis of bone
Today: molecular devices
Reading: V. Vogel, ‘Reverse engineering: Learning from proteins how to enhance the performance
of synthetic nanosystems,’ MRS Bull. Dec. 972-978 (2002)
Overview to date
Current Road Map of the course:
ƒ Started with degradable synthetic polymers – structural and controlled release materials
ƒ Discussed modifying degradable materials for biological recognition
ƒ Moved to controlled release devices fabricated from degradable polymers
ƒ Next, hydrogel materials for drug delivery, tissue engineering, and lab-on-a-chip applications
o Structure, what are they made of
o Theory of gel swelling for neutral and ionic gels
ƒ Biomineralization: approaches used by biology and how we are trying to mimic them
o Future materials for hard tissue engineering
ƒ So far, largely looking at ‘macroscopic’ materials
o Materials from which micron-sized or larger scaffolds, drug delivery devices and gels are fabricated
ƒ Moving to smaller length scales: molecules and aggregates of molecules, e to some new applications
o Performing molecular-level functions
o Delivering molecular cargos to cells (labeling or treating cells)
Application areas we’ll focus on:
ƒ Molecular devices
o (Length scale of one or a few molecules)
o Single-molecule switches
o Molecular motors
ƒ Nano- to micro-scale drug carriers and detection reagents
o (Length scale of supramolecular aggregates to many-molecule aggregates)
ƒ Drug targeting
Molecular Devices
Current Approaches to Molecular Devices based on Protein-polymer hybrids
ƒ 3 examples we’ll discuss:
1. Use synthetic polymers to control ‘on’ and ‘off state of a protein
2. Use engineered surfaces to direct the function of proteins
3. Use eng