The role of viscosity measurements in the design of injectable biomaterials

 

Presented by: Abigail K. Grosskopf, PhD, Genentech Hydrogels combine the stress-bearing ability of a solid with the permeability and flow characteristics of a liquid. They occur naturally in cells and tissues, and have been synthesized for a wide variety of applications. Understanding the microscopic origins of their mechanical properties is thus important for both directing engineering and deciphering biological designs. We apply bulk oscillatory rheology to hydrogels comprised entirely of rationally designed DNA 'nanostar' cross-links, leveraging the unique designability and equilibrium bonding of DNA to study the effect of junction valence and bond strength heterogeneity on network mechanics and structure.