Self-assembling biomaterials: molecular design, characterization and application in biology and medicine provides a comprehensive coverage on an emerging area of biomaterials science, spanning from conceptual designs to advanced characterization tools and applications of self-assembling biomaterials, and compiling the recent developments in the field. Molecular self-assembly, the autonomous organization of molecules, is ubiquitous in living organisms and intrinsic to biological structures and function. Not surprisingly, the exciting field of engineering artificial self-assembling biomaterials often finds inspiration in Biology. More important, materials that self-assemble speak the language of life and can be designed to seamlessly integrate with the biological environment, offering unique engineering opportunities in bionanotechnology. The book is divided in five parts, comprising design of molecular building blocks for self-assembly; exclusive features of self-assembling biomaterials; specific methods and techniques to predict, investigate and characterize self-assembly and formed assemblies; different approaches for controlling self-assembly across multiple length scales and the nano/micro/macroscopic properties of biomaterials; diverse range of applications in biomedicine, including drug delivery, theranostics, cell culture and tissue regeneration. Written by researchers working in self-assembling biomaterials, it addresses a specific need within the Biomaterials scientific community. Explores both theoretical and practical aspects of self-assembly in biomaterials Includes a dedicated section on characterization techniques, specific for self-assembling biomaterials Examines the use of dynamic self-assembling biomaterials

Fabrication and Self-Assembly of Nanobiomaterials presents the most recent findings regarding the fabrication and self-assembly of nanomaterials for different biomedical applications. Respected authors from around the world offer a comprehensive look at how nanobiomaterials are made, enabling knowledge from current research to be used in an applied setting. Recent applications of nanotechnology in the biomedical field have developed in response to an increased demand for innovative approaches to diagnosis, exploratory procedures and therapy. The book provides the reader with a strong grounding in emerging biomedical nanofabrication technologies, covering numerous fabrication routes for specific applications are described in detail and discussing synthesis, characterization and current or potential future use. This book will be of interest to professors, postdoctoral researchers and students engaged in the fields of materials science, biotechnology and applied chemistry. It will also be highly valuable to those working in industry, including pharmaceutics and biotechnology companies, medical researchers, biomedical engineers and advanced clinicians. An up-to-date and highly structured reference source for practitioners, researchers and students working in biomedical, biotechnological and engineering fields A valuable guide to recent scientific progress, covering major and emerging applications of nanomaterials in the biomedical field Proposes novel opportunities and ideas for developing or improving technologies in fabrication and self-assembly

Self-assembling biomaterials: molecular design, characterization and application in biology and medicine provides a comprehensive coverage on an emerging area of biomaterials science, spanning from conceptual designs to advanced characterization tools and applications of self-assembling biomaterials, and compiling the recent developments in the field. Molecular self-assembly, the autonomous organization of molecules, is ubiquitous in living organisms and intrinsic to biological structures and function. Not surprisingly, the exciting field of engineering artificial self-assembling biomaterials often finds inspiration in Biology. More important, materials that self-assemble speak the language of life and can be designed to seamlessly integrate with the biological environment, offering unique engineering opportunities in bionanotechnology. The book is divided in five parts, comprising design of molecular building blocks for self-assembly; exclusive features of self-assembling biomaterials; specific methods and techniques to predict, investigate and characterize self-assembly and formed assemblies; different approaches for controlling self-assembly across multiple length scales and the nano/micro/macroscopic properties of biomaterials; diverse range of applications in biomedicine, including drug delivery, theranostics, cell culture and tissue regeneration. Written by researchers working in self-assembling biomaterials, it addresses a specific need within the Biomaterials scientific community.

The self-organization of bionanostructures into well-defined functional machineries found in nature has been a priceless source of ideas for researchers. The molecules of life, proteins, DNA, RNA, etc., as well as the structures and forms that these molecules assume serve as rich sources of ideas for scientists or engineers who are interested in de

Peptides and Proteins as Biomaterials for Tissue Regeneration and Repair highlights the various important considerations that go into biomaterial development, both in terms of fundamentals and applications. After covering a general introduction to protein and cell interactions with biomaterials, the book discusses proteins in biomaterials that mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM). The properties, fabrication and application of peptide biomaterials and protein-based biomaterials are discussed in addition to in vivo and in vitro studies. This book is a valuable resource for researchers, scientists and advanced students interested in biomaterials science, chemistry, molecular biology and nanotechnology. Presents an all-inclusive and authoritative coverage of the important role which protein and peptides play as biomaterials for tissue regeneration Explores protein and peptides from the fundamentals, to processing and applications Written by an international group of leading biomaterials researchers

Research and new tools in biomaterials development by using peptides are currently growing, as more functional and versatile building blocks are used to design a host of functional biomaterials via chemical modifications for health care applications. It is a field that is attracting researchers from across soft matter science, molecular engineering and biomaterials science. Covering the fundamental concepts of self-assembly, design and synthesis of peptides, this book will provide a solid introduction to the field for those interested in developing functional biomaterials by using peptide derivatives. The bioactive nature of the peptides and their physical properties are discussed in various applications in biomedicine. This book will help researchers and students working in biomaterials and biomedicine fields and help their understanding of modulating biological processes for disease diagnosis and treatments.

This thesis deals with the development of novel strategies for self-assembling biomaterials based on short beta-sheet fibril-forming peptides. These materials are potentially useful for a variety of biomedical applications, including tissue engineering and controlled drug release, and several aspects of these materials have been explored in this thesis in an effort to improve their clinical utility. First, a strategy for rapidly and uniformly triggering peptide self-assembly was developed. Stimulus-sensitive liposomes were utilized to sequester salts and release them in response to stimuli such as warming to body temperature or exposure to near infra-red light. Triggered salt release in turn initiated rapid self-assembly of extravesicular peptide and the transformation of the peptide/liposome suspension from a solution to a hydrogel. We show that peptide self-assembly can be rapidly, uniformly, and specifically triggered, with the storage modulus increasing three orders of magnitude upon triggering. This rapid triggering strategy is potentially useful for injectable biomaterial applications. In the second research thrust, a self-assembling peptide was developed that also possessed enzymatic activity for the cross-linking enzyme tissue transglutaminase. We then utilized tissue transglutaminase to conjugate cell-interactive peptides to the self-assembled structure and investigated cell attachment to these functionalized scaffolds. Such a strategy is potentially useful for designing biospecific self-assembling scaffolds for tissue engineering or wound healing. In the final research focus, to modulate the nanostructure of the self-assembled fibrillar structures, we developed a series of self-assembling polyethylene glycol-conjugated peptides. We found that polyethylene glycol conjugation significantly altered fibril morphology, including width, length, and degree of lateral aggregation. As previous beta-sheet fibrillar self-assembled materials have shown particular intransigence to such modification of the fibrillar structure, this strategy may be a useful route for tailoring the physical properties of these materials. As a whole, the strategies developed in this thesis address previous shortcomings of beta-sheet peptide-based self-assembling materials in an effort to bring them closer to clinical application.