December 1 - 6, 2024
Boston, Massachusetts
Symposium Supporters
2024 MRS Fall Meeting & Exhibit
SB04.02.05

Engineering Conductive Hydrogels with Tissue-Like Properties—A 3D Bioprinting and Enzymatic Polymerization Approach

When and Where

Dec 2, 2024
2:45pm - 3:00pm
Hynes, Level 3, Room 309

Presenter(s)

Co-Author(s)

Changbai Li1,Sajjad Naeimipour1,Fatemeh Boroojeni1,Tobias Abrahamsson1,Xenofon Strakosas1,Yangpeiqi Yi1,Rebecka Rilemark2,Caroline Lindholm1,Venkata Perla1,Chiara Musumeci1,Yuyang Li1,Hanne Biesmans1,Marios Savvvakis1,Eva Olsson2,Klas Tybrandt1,Mary Donahue1,Jennifer Gerasimov1,Robert Selegård1,Magnus Berggren1,Daniel Aili1,Daniel Simon1

Linköping University1,Chalmers University of Technology2

Abstract

Changbai Li1,Sajjad Naeimipour1,Fatemeh Boroojeni1,Tobias Abrahamsson1,Xenofon Strakosas1,Yangpeiqi Yi1,Rebecka Rilemark2,Caroline Lindholm1,Venkata Perla1,Chiara Musumeci1,Yuyang Li1,Hanne Biesmans1,Marios Savvvakis1,Eva Olsson2,Klas Tybrandt1,Mary Donahue1,Jennifer Gerasimov1,Robert Selegård1,Magnus Berggren1,Daniel Aili1,Daniel Simon1

Linköping University1,Chalmers University of Technology2
Hydrogels are promising materials for medical devices interfacing with neural tissues due to their similar mechanical properties. Traditional hydrogel-based bio-interfaces lack sufficient electrical conductivity, relying on low ionic conductivity, which limits signal transduction distance. Conducting polymer hydrogels offer enhanced ionic and electronic conductivities and biocompatibility but often face challenges in processability and require aggressive polymerization methods. Here, we demonstrate in situ enzymatic polymerization of p-conjugated monomers in a hyaluronan-based hydrogel bioink to create cell-compatible, electrically conductive hydrogel structures. These structures were fabricated using 3D bioprinting of hyaluronan-based bioinks loaded with conjugated monomers, followed by enzymatic polymerization via horseradish peroxidase. This process increased the hydrogels' stiffness from about 0.6 kPa to 1.5 kPa and modified their electroactivity. The components and polymerization process were well tolerated by human primary dermal fibroblasts and PC12 cells. This work presents a novel method to fabricate cytocompatible and conductive hydrogels suitable for bioprinting. These hybrid materials combine tissue-like mechanical properties with mixed ionic and electronic conductivity, providing new ways to use electricity to influence cell behavior in a native-like microenvironment.

Symposium Organizers

Roisin Owens, University of Cambridge
Charalampos Pitsalidis, Khalifa University of Science and Technology
Achilleas Savva, Delft University of Technology
Jadranka Travas-Sejdic, Univ of Auckland

Session Chairs

Roisin Owens
Anna-Maria Pappa

In this Session