3D printed hybrid degradable networks combining polymers and virus like particles through spytag-spycatcher ligation – SPYMAT

Bioactive materials are a cornerstone of modern medicine for medical devices (MD) or scaffolds for tissue engineering (TE). They should combine tunable mechanical properties, biofunctionality through spatially localized biomolecules, compatibility with 3D printing and degradability. In particular for TE based on stem cells (SC), a challenge is to create artificial environments that mimic SC niches with specific mechanical properties and 3D architectures to control SC physiological state. Hydrogels or elastomers that combine biocompatible degradable polymers and bioactivity provide a promising mean to mimic SC niches. However, current systems are complex to synthesize, do not provide functional versatility nor control over the spatial presentation and stoichiometry of the bioactive molecules, and are generally not compatible with photopolymerization-based 3D printing techniques.
The SPYMAT project gathers 3 groups with complementary skills in polymer biomaterials, molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry and photo-structuration to tackle these challenges. SPYMAT relies on the development of hybrid networks based on resorbable photopolymers suitable for photostructuration via 1- or 2-photons excitation functionalized with recombinant Virus-Like Particles (VLPs) presenting bioactive peptides at high densities and specific stoichiometries to control SC functions. SPYMAT will benefit from original approaches in all key aspects of the project: modulation of the bioactivity via the VLPs, control and modularity of the network mechanics and its degradation via star-shaped polyether-polyester photopolymers, efficient ligation of VLPs & polymers via the SpyTag/SpyCatcher conjugation system, fine control of the MD or scaffold architecture via 2D/3D photostructuration. SPYMAT will open new avenues for the development of next-generation biomimetic materials with applications in regenerative medicine.