Luisa Gleichauf

Visiting student (Tübingen University, Germany)

Chemical modification of alginate-based hydrogels for biofabrication

 

Supervisors: Emine Karakaya, Aldo R. Boccaccini

Alginate is a promising natural polymer for biofabrication [1]. It can be modified by chemical oxidation to alginate-dialdehyde (ADA) in order to improve its properties and enable further modification e.g. with cell-adhesive peptides such as RGD to promote cell spreading and proliferation [2].
The first objective of this thesis was to investigate the influence of different radical scavengers on the polymer chains during and after the ADA synthesis. The second objective of the present project was to compare synthesis methods for peptide-modified ADA, and investigate the effects of different peptide sequences and combinations of those on cell-material interactions.

[1] Lee, Kuen Yong, and David J. Mooney. “Alginate: properties and biomedical applications.” Progress in polymer science 37.1 (2012): 106-126.

[2] Reakasame, Supachai, and Aldo R. Boccaccini. “Oxidized alginate-based hydrogels for tissue engineering applications: a review.” Biomacromolecules 19.1 (2018): 3-21.