Michael J. Higgins: Probing Cell-Material Interactions, One Molecule at a Time

Probing Cell-Material Interactions, One Molecule at a Time.
1 ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science (ACES ) Intelligent Polymer Research Institute, AIIM Facility, Innovation Campus, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia Email: mhiggins@uow.edu.au
Abstract Complex surfaces and materials, including polymers and biomaterials, show heterogeneous properties on the nanoscale yet the effects of their interactions with cell surface molecules distributed on an equivalent length scale are not clear. For example, the bulk chemistry or modulus of a composite polymer do not adequately describe the local single chain properties, such as density of cross-links or functional groups (e.g. methacrylate or peptide), which may have significant effects on binding to a neighboring cell receptor (e.g. integrin). Here, we will present approaches based on Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), including Single Molecule and Cell Force Spectroscopy and High-Speed AFM, used to probe single molecule dynamics, interactions and forces at material interfaces. We highlight the direct visualization of single protein adsorption on polymer surfaces, as well as single cell adhesion to hydrogels on a molecular level.
Bio Assoc. Prof. Higgins is an ARC Australian Research Fellow at the Intelligent Polymer Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Australia. He is Chief Investigator on both the ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science and ARC Transformational Industrial Research Hub. His research interest is electromaterials, nanomaterials, biomaterials, biointerfaces, coatings, and characterization using scanning probe microscopy to understand nanoscale properties and molecular interactions between biological systems and materials.
Related news
Interview with Maibelin Rosales on 'STEMlab Podcast'
Our Marie Curie postdoctoral researcher, Maibelin Rosales, is one of the featured speakers in the 'STEMlab Podcast' series, promoted by Diputación Foral de Bizkaia’s BizkaiaTech. The goal of these…Visit of the BCMaterials Local Advisory Committee
On June 3rd, we received a visit from members of the BCMaterials Local Advisory Committee, one of our center's advisory bodies on scientific matters. The purpose of the meeting was for the Committee…Invited Talk with Daniel Hernangómez (June 11)
BCMaterials is proud to host Dr. Daniel Hernangómez, Gipuzkoa Fellow at CICnanoGUNE (Donostia-San Sebastián) in a new invited talk. The talk is titled: “Excitonic landscapes in TMDCs: from defect-…‘Quantum Dot Computations’ Workshop at BCMaterials (June, 30- July, 1)
On June 30th and July 1st, BCMaterials will host the workshop "Quantum Dot Computations," organized within the framework of the MSCA "Track the Twin" doctoral network, of which our center is a member…