(420aa) Electromagnetic Stimuli-Responsive Hybrid Nanoparticle-Biopolymeric Materials

Thermally responsive elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) mimics mammalian elastin by characterizing the sequence VPGXG (V=valine, P=proline, G=glycine, and X=any amino acid except proline). ELPs exhibit an entropy-dominated phase transition at the inverse transition temperature (T_t). Upon heating, ELPs undergo a reversible intramolecular contraction leading to phase separation, commonly known as coacervation. Further heating of ELP leads to coalescence of coacervates into larger droplets. The thermal transition behavior of ELPs is reversible and has been exploited in a variety of applications including, bioseparation, drug delivery, sensors, and tissue engineering. This poster focuses on the development of ELP with a several nanoparticles (e.g. gold, iron oxide, polyplexes and polymers). Nanoparticles (e.g. gold, iron oxide) were first interfaced with ELP for sensing of external electromagnetic (thermal, photothermal, magnetic) and chemical changes. Visible responses (e.g. cross linked-phase separation, release of indicator molecules) resulting from structural changes in the polypeptide following exposure to radiation or chemicals will be demonstrated. A focus on the irreversible formation of gold nanorod (GNR) hybrid elastin–like polypeptide (ELP) matrices upon external thermal changes will be discussed in detail. This allowed better understanding of GNR-ELP matrices formation which further facilitated the development of GNR-ELP matrices as therapeutic platform for chemotherapy and non-viral gene deliver for potential high throughput screening of cellular response.