Nature-Inspired Functional Biomaterials to Reduce Biofouling for Medical Implants and Devices

The formation of bacterial biofilms on medical implants and devices has been recognized as a major cause of healthcare-acquired infections. These infections not only affect the quality of patient care but can also result in implant or device failure. To address healthcare-acquired infections, we have developed anti-biofouling materials that can suppress bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation. Drawing inspiration from mussel's adhesive foot proteins, we synthesized a zwitterionic derivative of 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-L-alanine (L-DOPA) and catechol-conjugated fucoidan. Robust antibacterial coatings were achieved through oxidative polymerization and the complexation between catechol groups and Fe(III) ions. These synthesized biomaterials can be applied to silicone implants for plastic surgery and various medical-grade substrates. Additionally, we have recently explored polyphenol chemistry to prevent thrombus formation on blood-contacting medical devices in a substrate-independent manner. In this presentation, I will discuss the development of these biomaterials and surface modification methods. The antibacterial and antiplatelet properties will be discussed in terms of non-specific protein adsorption, bacterial and platelet adhesion, as well as relevant infections and side effects associated with biomedical implants and tools.