Design of Biomimetic peptide polymer conjugate
The development of synthetic biomimetic scaffolds that can provide cues for cell-matrix interfaces can dictate cell migration direction and stimulate tissue growth promises materials for next-generation artificial ECM mimetic biomatrix. In quest of designing such materials recently we developed organic-inorganic hybrid systems like peptide template bioglass materials which were utilised as self-healing bone tissue matrix for osteoblast cell growth. Currently, with our expertise in supramolecular chemistry, we are exploring the possibility of controlling mechanical insights such as dynamic mechanical stiffening and compression response of peptide-polymer conjugates as surrogate extracellular matrix materials.
Our report in the field:
1. N. Gupta et al. Chem. Mater. 2021, 33, 589–599.
2. J. Thomas, N. Gupta et al. ACS. Biomater. Sci. Eng. 2021, Accepted
Polymer self assembly towards tunable nanostructure
Nature has an unprecedented handle over the conformation and dynamics of its macromolecular morphologies. One of such examples is the finite arrangement of amino acids in the living system into a spatial organization through chain folding that can carry out specific functions like enzymatic catalysis in an extremely efficient way. These intricate structure-activity relationships observed in biopolymers like proteins inspired us to design synthetic macromolecular architectures by bottom-up approach. Since 2017, we have designed a number of single-chain functional polymers using a variety of polymer synthesis protocols such as ATRP, RAFT etc. This polymers endowed stimuli-responsive chain collapse to form precisely controlled nanoparticles, which by mediation of thermo-responsive copolymers is exploited towards thermal homeostasis of drug release. Currently, we are looking at interesting convertible nanostructures from precisely controlled segmented block-copolymers for targeted drug delivery applications.
Additionally, photofixation of functional moieties in the polymer modulate the glass transition temperature and resultant chain flow behaviour that have been utilized in low viscosity polymer film self-healing, that is being considered for coating application. Further, tweaking such polymers anchored with paramagnetic nanoparticles we are exploring different self-healing mechanism.
Our reports in the field:
1. J. P. Joseph et al. Soft Matter, 2020, 16, 2506-2515.
2. J. P. Joseph et al. Polym. Chem., 2021, 12, 1002-1013.
3. C. Miglani et al. RSC Advances, 2021, Accepted
Out of equilibrium peptide self-assembly
Nature is a seamless designer to provide complex functional architectures through molecular self-assembly guided by out-of-equilibrium mechanism. Self-assembly hitherto performed in the lab under thermodynamic control results in a precise single state owing to minimalized Gibb’s free energy. In contrast, kinetic control over the self-assembly pathway allows to trap some of the intermediates over the trail of the process. Since 2015, we are trying to explore various method to kinetically control multi-step self-assembly using living supramolecular polymerization in our lab. Recently, we have been able to accomplish such pathway dependent self-assembly in amyloid inspired minimalistic peptide system to form 1D fiber, twisted bundle and 2D lamellar morphologies. Moreover, the nanostructures were precisely controlled in length and dimension via seeded supramolecular polymerization. Such functional systems were utilized for rendering a better mechanical strength control of resultant hydrogels, efficient MoS2 exfoliation, chiral self-sorting vs. co-assembly, organic catalysis etc.
Our reports in the field:
1. A. Singh et al. Chem. Commun., 2018, 54, 10730—10733.
2. J. P. Joseph et al. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2019, 11, 28213–28220.
3. D. Gupta et al. Nanoscale, 2020, 12, 18692-18700.
4. A. Singh et al. Nanoscale, 2021, 13, 13401-13409.
Thermally and Mechanically stable hydrogel materials for diverse applications.
Hydrogels materials from amino acids, lipids, sugars and polymer possess a three-dimensional network structure with thermal and mechanical stability that can be utilized to retain water and drug molecules. Recently, we started exploring this field including development of hydrogel beads that employs minimal water usage and sufficient fertilizers to grow a plant in semi-arid areas under adverse weather conditions and peptide-prodrug system to deliver drug via enzymatic degradation.
Our report in the field:
1. J. P. Joseph et al. RSc Advances, 2019, 9, 19819-198272.
Chiro-optical materials
Development of chiral molecules on peptide and polymeric platforms that can be exploited for chiral sensing and recognition applications.
Our report in the field:
1. B. Sharma et al. New J. Chem., 2018, 42, 6427-6432.
