MULTIFUNCTIONAL SUPRAMOLECULAR HYDROGELS AS BIOMATERIALS

摘要

The present invention pertains to the design and application of a supramolecular hydrogel having a three-dimensional, self­assembling, elastic, network structure comprising non-polymeric, functional molecules and a liquid medium, whereby the functional molecules are noncovalently crosslinked. The functional molecules may be, for instance, anti-inflammatory molecules, antibiotics, metal chelators, anticancer agents, small peptides, surface-modified nanoparticles, or a combination thereof. The design of the hydrogel includes: 1) modifying functional molecules to convert them into hydrogelators while enhancing or maintaining their therapeutic properties and 2) triggering -the hydrogelation process by physical, chemical, or enzymatic processes, thereby resulting in the creation of a supramolecular hydrogel via formation of non-covalent crosslinks by the functional molecules. Applications of the present invention include use of the supramolecular hydrogel, for instance, as a biomaterial for wound healing, tissue engineering, drug delivery, and drug/inhibitor screening.