(713f) Fabrication of Protein-Based Microparticles for Biomedical Applications

Microparticles are widely used for biomedical applications and traditionally synthesized via the bottom-up approach. The top-down fabrication approach possesses superb capabilities for controlling the size, geometry, internal structure, and composition of the particles, thus opening up unprecedented potential for many biomedical applications. On the other hand, proteins constitute perhaps the most versatile and powerful group of biomacromolecules for pharmaceutical, drug delivery, and tissue engineering applications. However, top-down fabrication of microparticles with proteins as the sole or primary structural and functional components has not been reported to the best of our knowledge. Here we report usage of soft lithography and layer-by-layer assembly to produce the protein-based microparticles. Using this method, we have produced disk-shaped microparticles composed of a single layer, two layers, and three layers of proteins of various types such as serum albumins, lysozyme, avidin, and antibodies. We have also studied the interactions between the microparticles and live cells, explored the potential of the microparticles for drug delivery and biosensing applications.