Ohio Eminent Scholar and The Howard D. Winbigler Professor
The goal of this project is to use atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques to characterize nanostructured biomaterial surfaces composed of block copolymers. These biomaterials are capable of modulating the adhesion and conformation of adsorbed proteins, thereby optimizing cellular adhesion behavior. The biomaterial-cell interface is governed by the types and conformations of proteins deposited on the biomaterials surface upon implantation. The protein behavior is in turn governed by the morphology and chemistry of the biomaterial surface. Block copolymers are capable of generating a diversity of nanostructured surfaces by synthetically manipulating blocks of known biocompatible polymers. This tunability of the block copolymer surface morphology can be exploited to control stem cell differentiation in the development of novel cell-based therapies.
The Bhushan lab has the expertise on advanced AFM methods as applied to the study of nanomorphology and nanomechanical properties of biomaterials and biomolecules. In this project, we are collaborating with Prof. Scott Schricker at the College of Dentistry who has significant expertise on numerous aspects of synthetic polymer chemistry and biomaterials science.
Dr. Manuel Palacio, Research Assistant
Dr. Stephanie Daniels, Visiting Scientist
Dr. Shrikant Nagpure, Visiting Scientist
Gregory Bixler, Graduate Research Assistant
Daniel Ebert, Graduate Research Assistant
Dave Maharaj, Graduate Research Assistant
Sanjay Ramdon, Graduate Research Assistant
Jason Utter, Graduate Research Assistant
Bio/nanomaterials characterization
Bio/nanotribology
Bio/nanomechanics
Bhushan, B., Tokachichu, D. R., Keener, M. T., and Lee, S. C., “Morphology and adhesion of biomolecules on silicon based surfaces,” Acta Biomater., 2005:1:327-341.
Bhushan, B., Tokachichu, D. R., Keener, M. T., and Lee, S. C., “Nanoscale adhesion, friction and wear studies of biomolecules on silicon based surfaces,” Acta Biomater., 2006:2:39-49.
Bhushan, B., “Nanotribology and nanomechanics in nano/biotechnology,” Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A 2008:366:1499-1537.
Bhushan, B., “Biomimetics: lessons from nature – an overview,” Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A 2009:367:1445-1486.
Bhushan, B., Kwak, K. J., Gupta, S. and Lee, S. C., “Nanoscale adhesion, friction and wear studies of biomoleculs on silane polymer-coated silica and alumina-based surfaces,” J. R. Soc. Interf. 2009:6:719-733.
Palacio M, Schricker S, Bhushan B. Morphology and protein adsorption characteristics of block copolymer surfaces. J. Microsc. 2011: 240: 239-248.
Palacio, M., Schricker, S. and Bhushan, B., “Bioadhesion of various proteins on random, diblock and triblock copolymer surfaces and the effect of pH conditions,” J. R. Soc. Interface 2011:8:630-640.
Schricker, S., Palacio, M. and Bhushan, B., “Antibody sensed protein surface conformation,” Mater. Today 2011:14:616-621.
Palacio M, Schricker S, Bhushan B. Block copolymer arrangement and composition effects on protein conformation using atomic force microscope-based antigen-antibody adhesion. J. Biomed. Mater. Res. A. 2012: in press.
