Introductory Remarks

Through centuries of evolution, nature has developed biopolymers capable of folding and assembling into discrete structures with a functional consequence. Inspired by this, our lab focuses on engineering “intelligent” protein biomaterials with entirely new properties and function. We employ synthetic and chemical biology to construct our materials and endow them with stimuli-responsiveness. In particular, our lab has fabricated protein-derived nanomaterials: helix-elastin block polymers and coiled-coil fibers. We investigate the fundamental self-assembly and molecular recognition capabilities of these systems. Central to this work is the integration of stimuli-responsive domains through rational and computational design. More importantly, we are able to harness these structure as well as others to interface with small molecules, protein therapeutics and cells for applications in regenerative medicine.