1,721,034 research outputs found
From protocells to prototissues: a materials chemistry approach
Full text linkPrototissues comprise free-standing 3D networks of interconnected protocell consortia that communicate and display synergistic functions. Significantly, they can be con- structed from functional molecules and materials, providing unprecedented opportunities to design tissue-like architectures that can do more than simply mimic living tissues. They could function under extreme conditions and exhibit a wide range of mechanical properties and bio-inspired metabolic functions. In this perspective, I will start by describ- ing recent advancements in the design and synthetic construction of prototissues. I will then discuss the next challenges and the future impact of this emerging research field, which is destined to find applications in the most diverse areas of science and technol- ogy, from biomedical science to environmental science, and soft robotics
Expanding the scope of nanomaterials: the development of new strategies for the chemical modification of nanomaterials
No full textChemically reactive protocells: a bottom-up approach to the construction of prototissues
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Chemically reactive protocells: a novel bottom-up approach to the generation of prototissues
No full textFunctional molecules and materials in bottom-up synthetic biology
No full textRecreating the structure and functions of living tissues is one of the grand challenges of our time. One way to overcome this challenge is by relying on synthetic cells (or “protocells”) as foundational units to build free-standing structures with complex three-dimensional architectures that we call “protocellular materials” (PCMs). In this seminar I will give a brief introduction of this young and emerging research field and report our most recent scientific breakthroughs. These were achieved by combining in an original and synergistic manner key aspects of organic chemistry and materials science with fundamental concepts of bottom-up synthetic biology. I will describe our techniques to generate protocell-protocell adhesions and control the assembly of protocell building blocks into PCMs with complex three-dimensional architectures. Finally, I will explain how we can chemically program the PCMs to display emergent bio-inspired behaviours such as collective contractility, non-equilibrium sensing and photoinduced O2 production
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