Project Details
Projekt
Immobilization of polysialic acid on the surfaces of biometerials
Applicant
Professor Dr. Peter Behrens (†)
Subject Area
Biological and Biomimetic Chemistry
Term
from 2008 to 2013
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 5471076
The main aim of this project is to generate insoluble forms of polysialic acid (polySia) by immobilizing this biopolymer to the surfaces of biomaterials, in order to make it available for biomaterials functions. PolySia wilt be attached to the surfaces of nerve guidance channels based on (bioinert) silicone and (biodegradable) polyphosphazene polymers and to silica nanoparticles with diverse functions. The products will be tested in other WPs of the research group. The attachment routes are adapted to the specific chemistry of the respective surfaces, if possible involving the "click chemistry" approach which is also used in WP2.2 and WP2.3. In addition, we will continue to characterize the basic physico-chemical characterization of polySia and its derivatives in solution, especially with regard to the shape of the macromolecules and their aggregates, and in the crystalline solid. Light and smallangle X-ray scattering techniques will be employed for studying the behaviour in solution, and X-ray diffraction and modelling techniques will be used to derive the structure of crystalline polySia. The general information on the structure and behaviour of polySia thus obtained will be of fundamental importance for other WPs.
DFG Programme
Research Units
