Scientific area
1.6 Biological sciences (Medical sciences go to scientific area 3.n; Agricultural sciences go to scientific area 4.n)
Discipline(s)
Biochemistry and molecular biology
Project title
New sea urchin-inspired adhesives for biomedical applications: a biomimetic approach towards the development of new wet-effective, reversible, biocompatible, and ecological adhesives
Scientific Coordinator's name:
Romana Lopes Almeida Santos
Scientific Coordinator's e-mail:
romana.santos@campus.ul.pt
Principal R&D Unit:
Centro de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente (MARE) ; Centro de Química e Bioquímica (CQB)
Other R&D Units involved in the project:
Other R&D units involved in the project
Project keyword(s)
Sea Urchins; Reversible Adhesive; Biomimetism; Adhesive and De-adhesive Recombinant Proteins; Adhesive Synthetic Peptides
Short abstract and comments
This 5-year project entails an iterative, multidisciplinary biomimetic approach, to develop the first sea urchin- inspired adhesives for biomedical applications. My recent research disclosed the key players in sea urchin reversible adhesion. This project aims at further exploring the biotechnological potential of this new database through the production of biomimetic adhesive and de-adhesive proteins towards the development of new biomedical adhesives. Despite bioadhesives diversity and superiority compared to petrochemical-based counterparts, the later still dominate the adhesive market. Most surgical adhesives are based on synthetic cyanoacrylates, fibrin, albumin/glutaraldehyde or PEG polymer but despite their availability, these products are either harmful or toxic, not biodegradable, provide low adhesive strength or have a high risk of disease contaminations. This project addresses the need to bridge the technology gap between adhesive biomaterial characterization and engineering, through the production of nature-based, wet-effective, biocompatible, and environmentally safe adhesives. In addition, given the temporary nature of sea-urchin adhesion, de-adhesive molecules will also be produced to create reversible adhesives or cell/molecules displacers needed for medical implants.
Potential uses/indications
Sea urchin adhesive is water-resistant and effective on diverse substrata. Thus, it may find applications as a surgical adhesive or a tissue/cell-immobilising agent, while the deadhesive secretion can be used to develop a reversible adhesive or a coating to prevent unwanted adhesion of proteins/cells to biomedical devices.
Status
Ongoing
Partner Status: Seeking Partners?
Yes
Project weblink
http://romanasantos.wix.com/biomimetic-adhesive
Grant number (QREN, FP7, Eureka, etc)
IF/00006/2015
Last edited on
2017-02-07 16:42:32