Studies on the controlled degradation of polySia scaffolds

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Rita Gerardy-Schahn
• Subject Area: Organic Molecular Chemistry - Synthesis and Characterisation
• Term: from 2004 to 2008
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5471076

In WP6 strategies will be developed to enable the induced and controlled degradation of polySia scaffolds. Polysialic acids can be specifically degraded by phage borne enzymes, the endosialidases. The goal of this study is to use molecular biological techniques to modulate the cleavage characteristics of endosialidases and to develop strategies that allow site directed targeting and inactivation of the enzymes. Biomimetic mineralization techniques will be applied to provide materials with improved chemical stability and reduced sensitivity against the degrading enzymes. Certain mineral phases, for example iron oxides or hydroxides, can yield additional clues for a specific placement of the scaffolds. Organic- and polymer-chemical aspects studied in WP2 and WP3 as well as aspects of surface texturing studied in WP4 and WP5 will be integrated to obtain bioactive materials that can be used to deliberate drugs, growth factors, or cells in a controlled and time and space dependent manner during the organ construction phase, while becoming completely removed in the final product, an autonomous organ.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• Subproject of: FOR 548: Polysialic Acid: Towards the Evaluation of a New, Bio-identical Scaffold Material
• Participating Person: Professor Dr. Peter Behrens (†)