Chemical strategies for biomolecule-material conjugation

Chris Spicer, University of York

3D biomaterials can be used to scaffold the growth of human cells into in vitro models of tissues, for studying health and disease. A key property of these materials is there ability to provide biochemical signals to the growing cells, to direct and accelerate tissue growth. In this talk, I will talk about our efforts to functionalise biomaterials with the signalling peptides and proteins needed to induce this biochemical signalling, with a focus on the underlying chemistries we are developing to site-selectively modify native proteins, and to mediate late-stage modification of peptides.

Spicer Lab