2010 - 19th Annual NC State Undergraduate Research Spring Symposium

Session Time : 4/22/10 12:15 PM - 4/22/10 1:30 PM

Content Area : Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

Student Presenters :
Brinda Monian Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Mentors and/or Co-Authors :
Saad Khan Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Abstract Title : Novel Biopolymer-Based Nanofibers for Regenerative and Therapeutic Medicine

Abstract :
Electrospun nanofibers have recently generated tremendous interest in several fields, including regenerative medicine, drug delivery, and biocatalysis. Nanofiber mats show special promise in tissue engineering as scaffolds for cell adhesion and growth due to their high porosity and surface area and their resemblance to the extracellular matrix necessary for reduced immune response from cells and increased cell proliferation and growth rate.
In this study, we focus on electrospinning alginate, a natural, renewable and biodegradable polymer derived from seaweed. Alginate is uniquely biocompatible because its molecular structure mimics that of a major protein in the human extracellular matrix. Combining the molecular structure of alginate with the unique properties of nanofibers, we expect to generate a new class of biomaterials with enhanced properties. However, previous research (including ours) shows that alginate alone cannot be electrospun, due to its high viscosity and surface tension and rigid molecular structure. We undertake a new approach to fabricate alginate nanofibers from aqueous solution by blending with a small amount of biocompatible, electrospinnable polymer and biosurfactant. The role of these additives on solution rheology, surface tension, and conductivity is being examined and correlated with nanofiber morphology. We find that by controlling solution properties, we can obtain alginate-rich nanofibers with greater than 80% alginate content, the first to obtain such success. The effects of nanofiber composition and morphology on cell adhesion, growth and proliferation are currently being explored, and will be discussed.