Guiding BioRegeneration with Supramolecular Materials

SAMUEL STUPP, NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY

Supramolecular materials have emerged over the past decade as chemical systems in which non-covalent polymerization of hundreds to millions of molecules generates soft matter with extremely valuable functions. Their interactions with cells have been particularly interesting given their ability to, mimic the architecture of extracellular matrices, signal receptors, and also bind or protect therapeutic proteins. A particularly remarkable opportunity is the use of these materials to regenerate tissues and organs, using the necessary chemistry to mediate signaling pathways and other processes such as biological adhesion. This lecture will demonstrate the use of these supramolecular biomaterials in regeneration of the spinal cord, cartilage, bone, muscle, and blood vessels, among others. The lecture will also describe the possibility of using these systems dynamically to turn signals to cells “on and off” reversibly, a direction which may prove useful in the management of stem cells in regenerative medicine.

January 19th, 2017 at 12:15 PM in Clark Center Seminar Room S360

Hosted by:

Helen Blau, Professor of Microbiology & Immunology, Stanford University

Pre-Seminar January 17th, 2017 at 12:15 PM in Clark S361