From Biomedical Devices to Gummy Candy: How Hydrogels Give Us Leverage

The advancement of tissue engineering, design of medical implants, and development of drug delivery systems require biocompatible materials that behave similarly to the human body: soft, flexible and containing high water content. One class of materials that fits these criteria are hydrogels, which are made out of hydrophilic polymers that readily swell with water. In this course students will learn about both synthetic and naturally derived hydrogels, their prevalence in our daily lives (from gummy candy to contact lenses!) and their potential in next-generation biomaterials and therapeutics. The course will involve hands-on activities including making hydrogels from biopolymers, studying hydrogel properties such as swelling, stiffness and decomposition, and lab tours within UCSB’s BioPACIFIC Materials Innovation Platform facilities.              

Supported by: NSF Materials Innovation Platform through BioPacific # DMR-1933487

Taught by: Shawn Mengel and Cassidy Tobin, Ph.D. students in Chemistry Engineering