Shear-thinning, biocompatible hydrogels that are useful for cell therapy and which hold promise for 3D printing of functional tissue constructs. Background: While hydrogels hold great promise in applications such as drug delivery and tissue engineering, their fast gelation kinetics restrict their use in injectable applications such as the delivery of cells (i.e. cell therapy). Their lack of shear-thinning properties results in high shear forces that lead to cell death due to mechanical disruption of the cell membrane. Further, hydrogels derived from photo-reactive polymers often require the use of photoinitiators and doses of UV radiation, both of which are toxic to cells. Technology Overview The injectable hydrogels of this invention possess desirable shear-thinning properties. Specifically, they comprise dynamic host-guest linkages that dissipate forces to protect cells during injection and then reform said linkages once stresses are relieved. Further, these hydrogels are both highly tunable and suitable for use as scaffolds for 3D bioprinting. The chemistry also enables the incorporation of cues (i.e. biological signals) to promote desirable cell function(s) (e.g. infiltration, attachment, survival, proliferation, migration, and/or differentiation). In one example, these hydrogels were used to deliver myelin-forming cells (i.e. oligodendrocytes, neural crest-derived Schwann cells) to the brain of shiverer mice to promote myelination. Advantages:
- Biocompatible
- Do not require the use of cytotoxic agents or conditions
- Highly tunable mechanical properties (i.e. stiffness)
- Shear-thinning
- Self-healing
Applications:
- Cell therapy (various, including treatment of central and peripheral nerve injuries)
- 3D printing of tissue constructs
Intellectual Property Summary: US Provisional Patent Application 63/238,911 filed August 31, 2021 Stage of Development: Preclinical Licensing Status: Available for licensing or collaboration.
Website
https://suny.technologypublisher.com/tech/Shear-Thinning_Hydrogels
Contact Information
TTO Home Page: https://suny.technologypublisher.com
Name: Timothy Dee
Title: Associate Director
Email: tpdee@buffalo.edu
Phone: 716-645-8139