Abstract
There is widespread agreement of the central role the extracellular matrix plays in biological processes. This “complex hydrated matrix” is capable of optimizing molecular presentation and providing structural hierarchy, chemical anisotropy, biological selectivity, adaptability, and appropriate mechanical properties. A major goal in the biomaterials community is the generation of functional hydrogel materials that exhibit these kinds of properties. The talk will focus on novel technologies that enable the fabrication of 2D and 3D bioactive and/or biomimetic hydrogel-like materials with potential application in tissue engineering, drug screening, and regenerative medicine. The first relies on a dynamic self-assembling system capable of growing functional tubes and capillaries of different geometrical shapes. The second one proposes a simple molecular printing method to create complex 3D environments using readilly available hydrogels. Other techniques to control or stimulate biological processes for applications in tissue regeneration and in vitro models will be presented.