(588i) Engineering Biomimetic Materials: Nanotechnology Inspired By Biology

Nature inspires the design of synthetic polymers that replicate optical, biological, and structural features, enabling their application across energy, life sciences, and medicine. I believe in the power of polymer chemistry to mimic the functional properties of biomolecules, enabling precise control of interactions at nano-bio interfaces and responsiveness to target biomolecules. In this talk, I will introduce enzyme-responsive biomolecular condensates and their potential in smart drug delivery.¹ I have developed size-tunable coacervates through the self-assembly of heparin glycosaminoglycans with tyrosine- and arginine-based peptides. By incorporating thrombin recognition sites into the structural components, these coacervates can be selectively disassembled upon thrombin-mediated proteolysis. Furthermore, I discovered a critical polyphenol threshold that enhances the stability of biomolecular condensates while preserving their enzymatic activity. Lastly, I will present emerging techniques for the development of biomimetic materials and discuss their applications in the field of biomedical engineering.^2,3,4,5

Reference:

1. Yim, W., Jin, Z., Chang, Y. C., Brambila, C., Creyer, M. N., Ling, C., ... & Jokerst, J. V. (2024). Polyphenol-stabilized coacervates for enzyme-triggered drug delivery. Nature Communications, 15(1), 7295.

2. Yim, W., Zhou, J., Sasi, L., Zhao, J., Yeung, J., Cheng, Y., ... & Jokerst, J. V. (2023). 3D‐bioprinted phantom with human skin phototypes for biomedical optics. Advanced Materials, 35(3), 2206385.

3. Yim, W., Retout, M., Chen, A. A., Ling, C., Amer, L., Jin, Z., ... & Jokerst, J. V. (2023). Goldilocks energy minimum: Peptide-based reversible aggregation and biosensing. ACS applied materials & interfaces, 15(36), 42293-42303.

4. Yim, W., Borum, R. M., Zhou, J., Mantri, Y., Wu, Z., Zhou, J., ... & Jokerst, J. V. (2022). Ultrasmall gold nanorod-polydopamine hybrids for enhanced photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy in second near-infrared window. Nanotheranostics, 6(1), 79.

5. Yim, W., Takemura, K., Zhou, J., Zhou, J., Jin, Z., Borum, R. M., ... & Jokerst, J. V. Enhanced photoacoustic detection of heparin in whole blood via melanin nanocapsules carrying molecular agents. ACS Nano 2021.