Description:

The Peptide Synthesis Core and the Analytical bioNanotechnology Equipment Core (ANTEC) of the Simpson Querrey Institute for BioNanotechnology (SQI) proudly announce the Rising Stars of SQI Lecture.

Rebecca Keate, PhD Candidate, of the Guillermo Ameer and Jonathan Rivnay Laboratories, will present a lecture titled:

"Conductive Polymer Form Influences Composite Properties and Cell Response"

The lecture will also be available as a Zoom Webinar, and a link will be emailed to all registrants prior to the event. Please fill out this form indicate whether you plan to attend virtually or in person. Refreshments will be provided for in-person attendees.

See the talk abstract and speaker bio below for more information.

Abstract: Throughout the field of tissue engineering, it is increasingly evident that bioelectronic materials are potent drivers of positive biological outcomes. The underlying mechanisms by which these benefits occur, however, have yet to be elucidated. One such class of electroactive materials that has been widely studied for its ability to influence biological processes is conducting polymers (CPs). CPs are unique from traditional inorganic electronics in that they conduct both ionic and electronic signals. This mixed conduction mechanism, as well as their high synthetic tailorability, mechanical compatibility with biological tissue, and biocompatibility makes them an attractive tool towards optimizing the healing potential of electronic materials. While mixed ionic/electronic conductivity is one of the leading motivators for the use of CPs in biomaterials, it has yet to be proven that conductivity directly leads to the widespread benefits of CPs in biological applications. Other factors including surface charge, dopant chemistry, and volumetric swelling are all qualities, besides conductivity, that may differentially influence cell phenomena. In this talk, I will discuss the various material parameters influenced by differences in PEDOT form factor and the considerations that should be made when designing CP-based biomaterials in the future.

Bio: Rebecca Keate graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering and a minor in Physics. Rebecca joined Northwestern University in 2019 as a Ph.D. student in Biomedical Engineering and is co-advised by Guillermo Ameer and Jonathan Rivnay. Her research involves the design of conductive polymer-based materials to investigate the mechanisms by which electronic signals facilitate regenerative engineering.