(43g) Integrated Antimicrobial and Nonfouling Properties of Zwitterionic Polymers and Their Derivatives

Zwitterionic polymers are generally viewed as a new class of nonfouling materials in parallel to their polyethylene glycol (PEG) counterparts to prevent non-specific protein adsorption as well as to minimize bacterial or mammalian cell adhesion. Unlike PEG, however, zwitterionic polymers have a broader range of chemical diversity and greater freedom for molecular design. Though surface nonfouling still remains central to the studies of zwitterionic polymers, the chemical diversity and malleability of zwitterionic polymers make it possible to impart functionality into otherwise biologically inert materials. In particular, a handful of unique strategies that integrate nonfouling and antimicrobial properties into a single zwitterionic-based polymer – through side chain ester hydrolysis, reversible lactonization or controlled release of antimicrobial agents as counter ions or leaving groups – have been reported from our group in the past few years, which will be systematically surveyed in this presentation. Furthermore, by applying free radical living polymerization techniques, zwitterionic materials with well-defined polymer structures have been synthesized to cater to complicated biological processes and will also be covered in detail in the talk. This functional versatility resulted from structural diversity makes zwitterionic polymers a promising alternative and improvement to the conventional PEG nonfouling materials.