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SUMMARY:Learning from Nature to Form New Organic Materials for Tissue Rege
 neration - Dr. Lihi Adler-Abramovich\, Tel Aviv University
DTSTART:20171129T103000Z
DTEND:20171129T113000Z
UID:TALK96409@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Tom Scheidt
DESCRIPTION:Molecular self-assembly is a key direction in current nanotech
 nology based material science fields. In this approach\, the physical prop
 erties of the formed assemblies are directed by the inherent characteristi
 cs of the specific building blocks used. Molecular co-assembly at varied s
 toichiometry substantially increases the structural and functional diversi
 ty of the formed assemblies\, thus allowing tuning of both their architect
 ure as well as their physical properties. \nIn particular\, building block
 s of short peptides and amino acids can form ordered assemblies such as na
 notubes\, nanospheres and 3D-hydrogels. These assemblies were shown to hav
 e unique mechanical\, optical\, piezoelectric and semiconductive propertie
 s. Yet\, the control over the physical properties of the structure has rem
 ained challenging. For example\, controlling nanotube length in solution i
 s difficult\, due to the inherent sequential self-assembly mechanism. Anot
 her example is the control of 3D-hydrogel scaffold’s physical properties
 \, including mechanical strength\, degradation profile and injectability\,
  which are important for tissue engineering applications. \nHere\, in line
  with polymer chemistry paradigms\, we applied a supramolecular polymer co
 -assembly methodology to modulate the physical properties of peptide nanot
 ubes and hydrogel scaffolds. Utilizing this approach with peptide nanotube
 s\, we achieved narrow nanotube length distribution by adjusting the molec
 ular ratio between the two building blocks\; the diphenylalanine assembly 
 unit and its end-capped analogue. In addition\, applying a co-assembly app
 roach on hydrogel forming peptides resulted in a synergistic modulation of
  the mechanical properties\, forming extraordinary rigid hydrogels. \nThis
  work provides a conceptual framework for the utilization of co-assembly s
 trategies to push the limits of nanostructures physical properties obtaine
 d through self-assembly.    \n
LOCATION:Department of Chemistry\, Cambridge\, Unilever lecture theatre
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