Research

Overview

Bioadhesives/Sealants

Elastin-based Biomaterials

Conductive Hydrogels

Drug/Protien/Gene Delivery

Microfabrication

Conductive Hydrogels

Electroconductive hydrogels (ECHs) are highly hydrated 3D networks that incorporate conductive polymers, nanoparticles, and other conductive materials into polymeric hydrogels. ECHs combine several advantageous properties of inherently conductive materials with the highly tunable physical and biochemical properties of hydrogels. Our lab has been focusing on the development of highly biocompatible ECHs for different applications such as tissue engineering, drug delivery, and substrates for flexible electronics and other implantable medical devices. We use different methods to form these ECHs, which include 1) the incorporation of electrically conductive materials such as graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, and carbon nanotubes into a hydrogel network; 2) combining various conductive polymers such as polyaniline, and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxyythiophene) (PEDOT) with different biopolymers; 3) conjugating ionic liquid to the hydrogel networks. These electroconductive composite hydrogels can be used as scaffolds with high swellability, tunable mechanical properties, and the capability to support cell growth both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we combine these ECHs with advanced microfabrication techniques such as three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting, micropatterning, and electrospinning to engineer conductive constructs with biomimetic microarchitectures that reproduce the characteristics of the native extracellular matrix (ECM). Our engineered ECHs can be used for various tissue engineering applications including cardiac tissue regeneration and nerve repair as well as strain and chemical biosensing.

Lab Members Working on this field: Arpita Roy, Yuting Zheng, Zhanpeng (Jim) Liu, Min-Hsuan (Jessie) Lin, Fang Zhou.

Related Articles:

1. Arpita Roy, Shea Zenker, Saumya Jain, Ronak Afshari, Yavuz Oz, Yuting Zheng, Nasim Annabi*. A Highly Stretchable, Conductive, and Transparent Bioadhesive Hydrogel as a Flexible Sensor for Enhanced Real-Time Human Health Monitoring. Advanced Materials 2024. A Highly Stretchable, Conductive, and Transparent Bioadhesive Hydrogel as a Flexible Sensor for Enhanced Real‐Time Human Health Monitoring – Roy – 2024 – Advanced Materials – Wiley Online Library
2. Yavuz Oz, Arpita Roy, Saumya Jain, Yuting Zheng, Edrees Mahmood, Avijit Baidya, Nasim Annabi*. Designing a Naturally Inspired Conductive Copolymer to Engineer Wearable Bioadhesives for Sensing Applications. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. 2024. Designing a Naturally Inspired Conductive Copolymer to Engineer Wearable Bioadhesives for Sensing Applications | ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
3. Avijit Baidya, Mahsa Ghovvati, Cathy Lu, Hamed Naghsh-Nilchi, Nasim Annabi. Designing a nitro-induced sutured biomacromolecule to engineer electroconductive adhesive hydrogels. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces 2022. Designing a Nitro-Induced Sutured Biomacromolecule to Engineer Electroconductive Adhesive Hydrogels | ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
4. Mahsa Ghovvati, Mahshid Kharaziha, Reza Ardehali, Nasim Annabi. Recent advances in designing electroconductive biomaterials for cardiac tissue engineering. Advanced healthcare materials 2022. Recent Advances in Designing Electroconductive Biomaterials for Cardiac Tissue Engineering – Ghovvati – 2022 – Advanced Healthcare Materials – Wiley Online Library