A5076449071- Polymer Surface Interaction Studies
- Marine Biology and Environmental Chemistry
- Silk-based biomaterials and applications
- Bone Tissue Engineering Materials
- Calcium Carbonate Crystallization and Inhibition
- Surface Modification and Superhydrophobicity
- Cellular Mechanics and Interactions
- Supramolecular Self-Assembly in Materials
- Electrospun Nanofibers in Biomedical Applications
- Force Microscopy Techniques and Applications
- Polymer composites and self-healing
- Coding theory and cryptography
- Adhesion, Friction, and Surface Interactions
- graph theory and CDMA systems
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Biocrusts and Microbial Ecology
- Advanced Materials and Mechanics
- Marine Bivalve and Aquaculture Studies
- Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology and Behavior
- biodegradable polymer synthesis and properties
- Collagen: Extraction and Characterization
- Tardigrade Biology and Ecology
- Analytical chemistry methods development
- Connective tissue disorders research
- Lubricants and Their Additives
McGill University
2018-2025
Kenyon College
2022-2023
Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces
2013-2022
Mount Sinai Health System
2020
Schenck Process (Germany)
2019
Augustana College
2019
Universitätsbibliothek Johann Christian Senckenberg
2019
Color (United States)
2019
American Society of Safety Professionals
2019
Max Planck Society
2011-2017
Growing evidence supports a critical role of metal-ligand coordination in many attributes biological materials including adhesion, self-assembly, toughness, and hardness without mineralization [Rubin DJ, Miserez A, Waite JH (2010) Advances Insect Physiology: Integument Color , eds Jérôme C, Stephen JS (Academic Press, London), pp 75–133]. Coordination between Fe catechol ligands has recently been correlated to the high extensibility cuticle mussel byssal threads proposed endow self-healing...
The extensible byssal threads of marine mussels are shielded from abrasion in wave-swept habitats by an outer cuticle that is largely proteinaceous and approximately fivefold harder than the thread core. Threads several species exhibit granular cuticles containing a protein rich catecholic amino acid 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (dopa) as well inorganic ions, notably Fe3+. Granular remarkable combination high hardness extensibility. We explored byssus chemistry means situ resonance Raman...
The adhesive plaques of Mytilus byssus are investigated increasingly to determine the molecular requirements for wet adhesion. Mfp-2 is most abundant protein in plaques, but little known about its function. Analysis films using surface forces apparatus detected no interaction between or a film and bare mica; however, addition Ca(2+) Fe(3+) induced significant reversible bridging (work adhesion W(ad) approximately 0.3 mJ/m(2) 2.2 mJ/m(2)) two at 0.35 m salinity. strongest observed...
Growing evidence supports a critical role of dynamic metal-coordination crosslinking in soft biological material properties such as self-healing and underwater adhesion
Mussel mooring made mighty by metals Mussels produce an exceptional proteinaceous adhesive so they can withstand waves and currents. Metal ions bound to modified tyrosine residues play important role in reinforcing the adhesive. Priemel et al . brought together a variety of spectroscopy microscopy techniques study cellular mechanisms involved fabrication mussels (see Perspective Wilker). They found that metal ion–rich vesicles are secreted alongside containing protein mix microfluidic-like...
Abstract Protein-based biogenic materials provide important inspiration for the development of high-performance polymers. The fibrous mussel byssus, instance, exhibits exceptional wet adhesion, abrasion resistance, toughness and self-healing capacity–properties that arise from an intricate hierarchical organization formed in minutes a fluid secretion over 10 different protein precursors. However, poor understanding this dynamic biofabrication process has hindered effective translation byssus...
The mussel byssus stem provides a strong and compact mechanically mismatched biointerface between living tissue nonliving biopolymer. Yet, in poorly understood process, mussels can simply jettison their entire byssus, rebuilding new one just hours. We characterized the structure composition of using histology, confocal Raman mapping, phase contrast-enhanced microcomputed tomography, advanced electron microscopy, revealing sophisticated junction consisting abiotic biopolymer sheets...
The marine mussel Mytilus californianus Conrad inhabits the most wave-exposed regions of rocky intertidal by dint its extraordinary tenacity. Tenacity is mediated in large part byssus, a fibrous holdfast structure. M. byssal threads, which are mechanically superior to threads other mytilids, composed almost entirely consortium three modular proteins known as preCols. In this study, complete primary sequence preCols from was deduced and compared that two related species with inferior edulis...
Marine mussels tether to seashore surfaces with byssal threads, proteinaceous fibers that effectively dissipate energy from crashing waves. Protein-metal coordination bonds have been proposed contribute the characteristic mechanical and self-healing properties of threads; however, very little is understood about how these cross-links function at molecular level. In present study, combined Raman X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) measurements were employed confirm presence protein-Zn(2+) in...
Abstract Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) hydrogels are a unique class of programmable, biocompatible materials able to respond complex stimuli, making them valuable in drug delivery, analyte detection, cell growth, and shape‐memory materials. However, unmodified DNA the literature very soft, rarely reaching storage modulus 10 3 Pa, they lack functionality, limiting their applications. Here, DNA/small‐molecule motif create stiff from DNA, 5 Pa is used. The consists an interaction between...
Agarose hydrogels filled with cellulose nanowhiskers were strained in uniaxial stretching under different humidity conditions. The orientation of the whiskers was examined before and after testing an X-ray laboratory source monitored situ during loading by synchrotron diffraction. aim this approach to determine process parameters for reorienting toward a preferential direction. Results show that controlled drying hydrogel is essential establish interactions between matrix which allow stress...
Abstract Injectable composite colloidal gels are developed for regeneration of osteoporotic bone defects through a bottom‐up assembly from bisphosphonate‐functionalized gelatin and bioactive glass particles. Upon bisphosphonate functionalization, nanoparticles show superior adhesion toward particles, resulting in elastic gels. By tuning their composition, these combine mechanical robustness with self‐healing ability. The support cell proliferation differentiation vitro without requiring any...
Mussels withstand high-energy wave impacts in rocky seashore habitats by fastening tightly to surfaces with tough and self-healing proteinaceous fibers called byssal threads. Thread mechanical behavior is believed arise from reversibly breakable metal coordination cross-links embedded histidine-rich protein domains (HRDs) the principle load-bearing proteins comprising fibrous thread core. In order investigate HRD at molecular level, we have synthesized a peptide derived mussel (His5-bys)...
Incorporating sacrificial cross-links into polymers represents an exciting new avenue for the development of self-healing materials, but it is unclear to what extent their spatial arrangement important this functionality. In respect, biological such as mussel byssal threads, can provide chemical and structural insights. study, we employ in situ small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements during mechanical deformation show that threads consist a partially crystalline protein framework...
Abstract Complex hierarchical structure governs emergent properties in biopolymeric materials; yet, the material processing involved remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated multi-scale and composition of mussel byssus cuticle before, during after formation to gain insight into this hard, yet extensible metal cross-linked protein composite. Our findings reveal that granular substructure crucial cuticle’s function as a wear-resistant coating an polymer fiber is pre-organized condensed...
Significance Catechol chemistry has emerged as a cornerstone of bioinspired polymers and adhesives due to its versatility in creating diverse covalent dynamic noncovalent interactions (including metal coordination). The concept initially arose from the discovery that mussels use catechol moieties 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) mediate robust surface adhesion seawater reinforce tough self-healing biopolymer fibers. Currently, difficulties controlling DOPA redox limit synthetic application;...