Intelligent Polymers
A focus for our work is the synthesis, characterisation and application of polymers that can respond to stimuli. These responses can be biological in origin (e.g. pH) or can be via external control (temperature, light) and lead to architectural or conformational changes in the polymers. The behaviour of the polymers can be altered as a result, and we use these changes to modulate interactions with biomolecules, genes and cells. Applications include drug delivery, cell signal modification, novel anti-infectives, materials for regenerative medicine and emerging behaviour in synthetic biology.
Modelled structure of ‘smart’ polymer-protein conjugate (i) with protein component in darker shading. Image (ii) shows thermoresponsive polymers complexed with plasmid DNA in aqueous phase AFM. Fluorescent-labelled polymers can be tracked in cells as they transport nucleic acids for gene delivery (iii), while labelled bacteria can be observed to aggregate when bound by responsive polymers.
This work is strongly collaborative, with ongoing projects in stem cell culture and differentiation control (Chris Denning, Felicity Rose, Steve Howdle, James Sharp), in cell delivery (Kevin Shakesheff, Martyn Davies), in biophysics of gene delivery systems (Martyn Davies, Stephanie Allen), in mucosal transport (Snow Stolnik, Martin Garnett, UCB Pharma) and in bacterial attachment/signalling (Alan Cockayne, Miguel Camara, Natalio Krasnogor). We collaborate with leading groups outside Nottingham in gene delivery (Oxford, Birmingham), in polymer brushes (Cambridge), in ‘smart’ materials (Manchester), in polymer-protein conjugates (Padova), in targeted polymer microparticles (CSIR South Africa) and in new polymers for drug delivery (Saarbrücken). We also are using responsive polymers as prototypical feedback-controlled signals for Chemical Cells (‘Chells’) as part of an EPSRC Network.