Introduction

The research are oriented towards the innovative polymeric materials with tunable physico-chemical properties, dedicated for biomedical applications. The main idea of the research is to control the physicochemical properties of the substrate in the way enabling controlled interactions between the polymer coatings and the biological material. These interdisciplinary research covers numerous steps, including the design and fabrication of polymer coatings with controlled properties, their complex characterization, as well as biocompatibility tests for both, proteins and cells. They are conducted in the frame of different projects:

 

Polymer coatings with controlled elasticity for diagnosis of lung diseases (NCN, UMO-2017/25/B/ST5/00575, 2018-2021)

The main goal of the research performed in the frame of the NCN grant “Modification of physico-chemical properties of lung fibroblasts in response to chemical modification of two- and three-dimensional substrates with controlled elasticity” is to test the possibility of using mechanical properties of fibroblasts as a biomarker enabling fast and reliable diagnosis of distinct Interstitial Lung Diseases. (more info, PL)

Acknowledgment

This work is financially supported by the National Science Centre under project number UMO-2017/25/B/ST5/00575

 

The impact of substrate elasticity on the behaviour of cancerous cells at different stage of cancer progression (NCN, UMO-2013/09/D/ST5/03859, 2014-17)

The research performed in the frame of NCN the grant “Modification of adhesion and proliferation of malignant and non-malignant bladder cancer cells by substrates with combined mechanical, chemical and topographical properties” showed that in contrast to the general tendency observed for numerous cells, a variety of cancerous cells prefers softer substrates, whereas the stiffer ones are almost cell repellent, giving powerful tool for potential applications for early cancer diagnosis. (more info, PL)
 

Acknowledgment

This work is financially supported by the National Science Centre under project number DEC-2013/09/D/ST5/03859

 

Publications:

"Elasticity patterns induced by phase-separation in polymer blend films" J. Raczkowska, S. Prauzner-Bechcicki, P. Dąbczyński, R. Szydlak, Thin Solid Films 624 (2017), 181-186

"Patterning of cancerous cells driven by a combined modification of mechanical and chemical properties of the substrate" J. Raczkowska, K. Awsiuk, S. Prauzner-Bechcicki, J. Pabijan, J. Zemła, A. Budkowski, M. Lekka, European Polymer Journal (2017) in press

"Precise positioning of cancerous cells on PDMS substrates with gradients of elasticity" J. Raczkowska, S. Prauzner-Bechcicki, Biomedical Microdevices 18 (2016), 1-8

"Physico-chemical properties of PDMS surfaces suitable as substrates for cell cultures" J. Raczkowska, S. Prauzner-Bechcicki, J. Lukes, J. Sepitka, A. Bernasik, K. Awsiuk, C. Paluszkiewicz, J. Pabijan, M. Lekka, A. Budkowski, Applied Surface Science 389 (2016), 247–254

 

Command surfaces with thermo-switchable antibacterial activity

The main goal of this project is fabrication and complex analysis of smart and safe antibacterial coatings based on polymer brushes with embedded silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) dedicated for a widespread biomedical applications. Such coatings have unique properties, arising from the combination of thermo-responsiveness of polymer brush and strong antibiocidal properties of silver, especially expressed for AgNPs. (more info, PL)

Patent

A patent applications P.424734 (PL, 2018-03-02) and PCT/PL2019/05001 (Patent Cooperation Treaty, 2019-09-06) related to this work have been filed.

 

 

Design and complex characterization of smart polymer coatings with controlled physicochemical properties, for biomedical applications

The research cover studies on intelligent (stimuli-responsive) and biomimetic organic coatings, based on grafted polymer brushes, for controlled interactions with biomolecules. The great versatility of motifs that can be incorporated into the structure of polymerized brush enables enormous capability of accessible physico-chemical properties, changing reversibly upon an external factor, which can be additionally post modified by the exchange of particular chemical groups. (more info, PL)

Data opublikowania: 13.11.2020
Osoba publikująca: Kamil Awsiuk