title: Trends in biomedical engineering: focus on Smart Bio-Materials and Drug Delivery.
abstract: The present article reviews on different research lines, namely: drug and gene delivery, surface modification/modeling, design of advanced materials (shape memory polymers and biodegradable stents), presently developed at Politecnico di Milano, Italy. For gene delivery, non-viral polycationic-branched polyethylenimine (b-PEI) polyplexes are coated with pectin, an anionic polysaccharide, to enhance the polyplex stability and decrease b-PEI cytotoxicity. Perfluorinated materials, specifically perfluoroether, and perfluoro-polyether fluids are proposed as ultrasound contrast agents and smart agents for drug delivery. Non-fouling, self-assembled PEG-based monolayers are developed on titanium surfaces with the aim of drastically reducing cariogenic bacteria adhesion on dental implants. Femtosecond laser microfabrication is used for selectively and spatially tuning the wettability of polymeric biomaterials and the effects of femtosecond laser ablation on the surface properties of polymethylmethacrylate are studied. Innovative functionally graded Alumina-Ti coatings for wear resistant articulating surfaces are deposited with PLD and characterized by means of a combined experimental and computational approach. Protein adsorption on biomaterials surfaces with an unlike wettability and surface-modification induced by pre-adsorbed proteins are studied by atomistic computer simulations. A study was performed on the fabrication of porous Shape Memory Polymeric structures and on the assessment of their potential application in minimally invasive surgical procedures. A model of magnesium (alloys) degradation, in a finite element framework analysis, and a bottom-up multiscale analysis for modeling the degradation mechanism of PLA matrices was developed, with the aim of providing valuable tools for the design of bioresorbable stents.
authors: Bioengineering Department, Politecnico di Milano, Milano, Italy. mariacristina.tanzi@polimi.it
authors: Maria Cristina
authors: MC
authors: Tanzi
authors: Sabrina
authors: S
authors: Bozzini
authors: Gabriele
authors: G
authors: Candiani
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Cigada
authors: Luigi
authors: L
authors: De Nardo
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Farè
authors: Fabio
authors: F
authors: Ganazzoli
authors: Dario
authors: D
authors: Gastaldi
authors: Marinella
authors: M
authors: Levi
authors: Pierangelo
authors: P
authors: Metrangolo
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Migliavacca
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Osellame
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Petrini
authors: Giuseppina
authors: G
authors: Raffaini
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Resnati
authors: Pasquale
authors: P
authors: Vena
authors: Simone
authors: S
authors: Vesentini
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Zunino
mesh_terms: D020341:Absorbable Implants / Q000639:trends; D000818:Animals; D001698:Biomedical Engineering / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D011094:Polyethyleneimine / Q000737:chemistry; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate / Q000737:chemistry; D016062:Porosity; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D011094:Polyethyleneimine; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate; D014025:Titanium