Dynamische Biomaterialien

We study and orchestrate how synthetic materials interact with living cells. We engineer cell-instructive environments and material-based solutions for zero-waste therapeutic solutions

Our group develops hydrogel materials with programmed and tunable properties designed to encapsulate and instruct living cells. We study how living cells and inert matter interact and how these interactions can be exploited to direct cellular functions and ultimately result in therapeutic advantages. We cooperate with synthetic biologists, biophysicists, drug developers and clinicians to explore the application potential of our developments, with a focus on new materials for ophthalmic drug delivery. We contribute to INM’s competence fields opto-interactive and bio-intelligent materials. Our research addresses biomedical needs.

Prof. Dr. Aránzazu del Campo
Prof. Dr. Aránzazu del Campo
Leiterin Dynamische Biomaterialien
Telefon: +49 (0)681-9300-510

Kontakt

Dr. Aleeza Farrukh
Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin
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Dr. Jennifer Yvonne Kasper
Leiterin Bioengineering
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Forschung

Hydrogels with latent properties

By integrating phototriggers and light-responsive molecular motors in polymeric networks, we develop 4D hydrogels with optoregulated (bio)chemical activity, crosslinking, degradation, or mechanoactuation. These are used for biophysical studies of cell response to changes in the biochemical and mechanical signals of the extracellular environment.

Model Cellular Microenvironments

We build synthetic models of cell-matrix and cell-cell interfaces with encoded biochemical, mechanical and dimensional signals. To accelerate discovery, we develop material microarrays for high-throughput biophysical experimentation and apply them to study multifactorial cell responses.

Living Therapeutic Devices

We develop bioinks and apply biofabrication technologies for functional and safe encapsulation of cells in medical devices. We focus on self-replenishable living therapeutic materials which integrate drug biofactories and have unlimited therapeutic release. We aim for innovation in ocular therapeutics with living, self-replenishable drug-eluting contact lenses.

Partner

Publikationen

2025
A practical workflow for cytocompatibility assessment of living therapeutic materials
OPEN ACCESS Weiterlesen
A screening setup to streamline in vitro engineered living material cultures with the host

Desai, Krupansh | Sankaran, Shrikrishnan | Del Campo, Aránzazu | Trujillo, Sara

Materials Today Bio , 2025, 30 101437.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590006424004988

OPEN ACCESS Weiterlesen
2024
Polyacrylamide Hydrogels as Versatile Biomimetic Platforms to Study Cell-Materials Interactions

Milos, Frano | Del Campo, Aránzazu

Advanced Materials Interfaces , 2024, 11 (34), 2400404.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/admi.202400404

OPEN ACCESS Weiterlesen
Segmented, Side-Emitting Hydrogel Optical Fibers for Multimaterial Extrusion Printing

Kafrashian, Zahra | Brück, Stefan | Rogin, Peter | Usama Bin Farrukh, Hafiz Syed | Pearson, Samuel | Del Campo, Aránzazu

Advanced Materials , 2024, xxx (xxx), xxx.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.202309166

OPEN ACCESS Weiterlesen
Self-Lubricating, Living Contact Lenses

Puertas-Bartolomé, María | Gutierrez-Urrutia, Izabook | Teruel-Enrico, Lara Luana | Nguyen Duong, Cao | Desai, Krupansh | Trujillo, Sara | Wittmann, Christoph | del Campo, Aránzazu

Advanced Materials , 2024, 36 (27), 2313848.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.202313848

OPEN ACCESS Weiterlesen
Biofunctional Polyacrylamide Hydrogels using Tetrazole-Methylsulfone Comonomer for Thiol Conjugation

Farrukh, Hafiz Syed Usama Bin | Milos, Frano | Álvarez, Ana D. | Pearson, Samuel | del Campo, Aránzazu

Advanced Materials Interfaces , 2024, 11 (13), 2301024.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/admi.202301024

OPEN ACCESS Weiterlesen
PIEZO1-mediated mechanosensing governs NK-cell killing efficiency and infiltration in three-dimensional matrices

Yanamandra, Archana K. | Zhang, Jingnan | Montalvo, Galia | Zhou, Xiangda | Diedenweg, Doreen | Zhao, Renping | Sharma, Shulagna | Hoth, Markus | Lautenschläger, Franziska | Otto, Oliver | del Campo, Aránzazu | Qu, Bin

European Journal of Immunology , 2024, 54 (3), e2350693.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/eji.202350693

OPEN ACCESS Weiterlesen
Actin-templated Structures: Nature's Way to Hierarchical Surface Patterns (Gecko's Setae as Case Study)

Kasper, Jennifer Y. | Laschke, Matthias W. | Koch, Marcus | Alibardi, Lorenzo | Magin, Thomas M. | Niessen, Carien M. | del Campo, Aránzazu

Advanced Science , 2024, 11 (10), 2303816.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/advs.202303816

OPEN ACCESS Weiterlesen
2023
Rheological behavior of Pluronic/Pluronic diacrylate hydrogels used for bacteria encapsulation in engineered living materials

Bhusari, Shardul | Hoffmann, Maxi | Herbeck-Engel, Petra | Sankaran, Shrikrishnan | Wilhelm, Manfred | del Campo, Aránzazu

Soft Matter , 2023, 20 (6), 1320-1332.
https://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2024/SM/D3SM01119D

OPEN ACCESS Weiterlesen
Engineered living materials for the conversion of a low-cost foodgrade precursor to a high-value flavonoid

Riedel, Florian | Puertas Bartolomé, María | Teruel Enrico, Lara Luana | Fink-Straube, Claudia | Nguyen Dong, Cao | Gherlone, Fabio | Huang, Ying | Valiante, Vito | del Campo, Aránzazu | Sankaran, Shrikrishnan

Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology , 2023, 11 1278062.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2023.1278062/abstract

OPEN ACCESS Weiterlesen
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