Award
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases 5R01AI177678-03
Tunable Surface Coatings to Control Protein Dynamics and Attenuate the FBR
Recipient
University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
Award Amount
$698,280.00
Ceiling
$698,280.00
Awarded
December 29, 2025
Identifier
5R01AI177678-03
The award funds research to develop tunable surface coatings that control protein dynamics to reduce the foreign body response to implants, improving biocompatibility and patient outcomes.
Description
This project aims to investigate the mechanistic basis of the foreign body response (FBR) by linking protein dynamics, damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), myeloid cell activation, and the FBR itself. It uses single-molecule methods, protein engineering, tunable surface chemistries, molecular dynamic simulations, and machine learning to identify surface chemistries that control protein behavior and reduce immune activation. The project evaluates polymer brushes as coatings to mitigate FBR in vivo and in human cells, aiming to improve biocompatibility and clinical translation of implantable biomaterials.