1: Biomaterials

Dynamic Covalent and Supramolecular Biomaterials

Living systems are in constant motion—building, breaking down, adapting, and healing in response to their environment. To emulate these complex behaviors, we develop biomaterials that are not static, but dynamic and life-like. By integrating dynamic covalent bonds and supramolecular interactions, we create materials that can respond, reorganize, and evolve—just like biological tissues.

Dynamic covalent bonds offer stability with the possibility of reversible exchange, while supramolecular interactions—based on reversible, non-covalent forces—enable rapid responsiveness and adaptability. These mechanisms allow materials to heal themselves, adapt to changing environments, and closely mimic the dynamic nature of biological systems.

At MERLN, we use these principles to design smart, functional materials that can communicate with cells, guide tissue regeneration, and respond to physiological cues over time. Our goal is to move beyond passive biomaterials and toward systems that truly behave like living matter—supporting and actively participating in the healing and regeneration process.

Inorganic Materials, Bioinorganics, and Composites

Inorganic materials play a pivotal role in regenerative medicine, offering structural integrity, bioactivity, and chemical versatility. At MERLN, we explore a wide range of inorganic and bioinorganic systems—including calcium phosphates, glasses, silica nanoparticles, and therapeutic ions—to guide tissue repair and regeneration.

Ceramics, such as calcium phosphates and bioactive glasses, are particularly well-suited for hard tissue applications. Their stiffness and osteoconductivity make them ideal for supporting bone regeneration, while their degradation can be tuned to match tissue remodeling rates.

A key focus lies in the use of bioinorganic ions—such as calcium, phosphate, magnesium, zinc, and silicate—which are released from these materials and act as signaling molecules. These ions can stimulate angiogenesis, modulate immune responses, and promote osteogenesis or other lineage-specific differentiation, offering a powerful route to instruct cell behavior without the need for complex biologics.

In parallel, we design and functionalize silica nanoparticles as nanoscale platforms for controlled delivery, imaging, and cell guidance. Their high surface area, tunable porosity, and chemical stability make them ideal for therapeutic and diagnostic applications.

To further enhance functionality, we integrate inorganic components into hybrid composites that combine the strength and bioactivity of inorganic phases with the flexibility and processability of polymers. These composites allow us to engineer materials tailored to specific clinical needs—bridging the gap between structural support and biological instruction.

Polymer Synthesis and Design

Both synthetic and natural polymers form the backbone of many advanced biomaterials, offering unmatched versatility in structure, function, and form. At MERLN, we focus on the molecular design and synthesis of new polymers, as well as the functional modification of existing polymers, to create advanced biomaterials tailored for therapeutic applications.

Our work includes the development of novel polymer scaffolds with tunable mechanical, chemical, and biological properties. We explore a wide range of crosslinking chemistries—including click reactions, dynamic covalent bonds, and photo-triggered systems—to control material assembly, stability, and responsiveness.

Through rational design, we introduce bioactive functionalities, such as cell-binding motifs, degradation triggers, or drug-releasing moieties, directly into the polymer backbone or as modular side groups. This allows us to precisely control how materials interact with cells and tissues, and how they evolve over time in response to physiological signals.

By combining synthetic precision with biological insight, we create polymeric materials that serve as dynamic scaffolds, responsive delivery systems, or instructive matrices—advancing the frontiers of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

Micro- and Nanomaterials for Regenerative Medicine

Precision-engineered micro- and nanomaterials offer powerful tools to guide and control biological processes at the cellular and subcellular level. At MERLN, we design and synthesize micro- and nanoparticles with tailored properties—such as size, shape, surface chemistry, and responsiveness—to influence cell behavior and enable targeted delivery of bioactive cues.

These materials play a central role in bottom-up tissue engineering, where tissues are built by assembling functional building blocks— composed of cells, signaling molecules, and/or structural components—from the nanoscale upward. By interacting with cells at their native length scales, micro- and nanomaterials can direct adhesion, migration, differentiation, and tissue organization with high precision.

We apply advanced strategies in nanoparticle synthesis and surface functionalization to create smart carriers, imaging agents, and instructive building blocks that integrate seamlessly into regenerative therapies. Our aim is to translate nanoscale control into macroscale healing—bridging material innovation with clinical relevance.

In parallel, we develop microfabrication platforms to produce microparticles with precisely controlled features. Using a broad toolbox of conventional and advanced techniques, including emulsion methods, droplet microfluidics, micromolding, and photolithography, we engineer microparticles with diverse sizes and shapes from a wide range of biomaterials such as network polymers, hydrogels, ECM mimics, and bioceramics. We finely tune their bulk and surface properties to guide cellular responses and enhance integration into tissue constructs. Moreover, we are advancing scalable, high-throughput systems for the efficient production of these engineered micromaterials.