Responsive soft materials from designer protein polymers

来自设计师蛋白质聚合物的响应性软材料

• 批准号: RGPIN-2018-06886
• 负责人: Harden, James
• 金额: $ 2.99万
• 依托单位: University of Ottawa
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2018-01-01 至 2019-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=653046
• 关键词: Responsive; soft; materials; designer; protein

This proposed research program combines elements of protein design, biophysics, and soft condensed matter physics to create and study protein-based soft materials. My lab has expertise in the use of computational biophysics and molecular biology methods for designing and creating polymer-like proteins with desired structural and functional features. Biologically engineered protein polymers have precisely determined sequence and molecular weight, thereby allowing for the selection of molecular attributes (such as protein conformation and elasticity) and the control of the intermolecular interactions that govern the association of proteins into materials. Such protein-based materials have a wide variety of applications in cell and tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and targeted drug delivery. Yet, fundamental understanding of how their molecular composition and architecture determines their physical properties (self-assembly, microstructure, and mechanical behaviour) is still rather incomplete. The proposed program is focused on two interrelated thematic areas in the fundamental behaviour of these macromolecules and the materials they form: (I) Modular Protein Copolymers and their Supramolecular Assemblies and (II) Elastomeric Proteins for Responsive Protein Hydrogels. In each theme we will create new materials whose study will shed light on fundamental aspects of how molecular design impacts physical properties. Such knowledge is is a first step toward more general utility of protein based materials for applications in biomedicine and biotechnology. The process of conducting such research would provide unique training to HQP that would be broadly applicable to research and development careers in the Canadian biotechnology sector.

该提出的研究计划结合了蛋白质设计，生物物理学和软凝分物理学的元素，以创建和研究基于蛋白质的软材料。 我的实验室在使用计算生物物理学和分子生物学方法方面具有专业知识，用于设计和创建具有所需结构和功能特征的聚合物样蛋白。 生物工程的蛋白质聚合物具有精确确定的序列和分子量，从而可以选择分子属性（例如蛋白质构象和弹性），并控制控制蛋白质与材料的分子间相互作用。 这种基于蛋白质的材料在细胞和组织工程，再生医学和靶向药物递送中具有多种应用。 然而，对它们的分子组成和结构如何决定其物理特性（自组装，微观结构和机械行为）的基本了解仍然相当不完整。提出的程序集中于这些大分子的基本行为中的两个相互关联的主题区域及其形成的材料：（i）模块化蛋白共聚物及其超分子组件以及（ii）弹性蛋白用于响应蛋白水凝胶。 在每个主题中，我们将创建新材料，其研究将阐明分子设计如何影响物理特性的基本方面。 这种知识是迈向基于蛋白质材料在生物医学和生物技术中应用的更一般效用的第一步。 进行此类研究的过程将为HQP提供独特的培训，这将广泛适用于加拿大生物技术部门的研发职业。