Engineering Bioactive Surfaces for Biotechnology

Douglas S. Clark

Department of Chemical Engineering

University of California

Berkeley, CA 94720

Bioactive surfaces play a critical role in living systems, mediating complex functions ranging from molecular recognition to cell signaling and differentiation. Many important processes in biotechnology also involve a reactive surface or biocompatible material, such as biocatalysis, bioseparations, tissue engineering, and the use of biosensors. Although biomaterials currently enjoy widespread application in biotechnology, biomimetic surfaces are generally far less sophisticated and effective than their biological counterparts. Elucidating the complex molecular architecture of biological surfaces, and translating their functional properties into new processes and devices, are among the most exciting challenges at the interface of science and engineering.

Our research has focused on various aspects of protein structure and function at surfaces and complex interfaces. For example, we have carried out molecular-scale investigations of artificially immobilized proteins, with the aim of elucidating structure-function relationships for immobilized enzymes and antibodies. Such systems are of interest for applications ranging from industrial biocatalysts to micro- and nano-scale devices; however, little is known about the determinants of protein function on surfaces, and guidelines for optimizing the activity of artificially immobilized proteins are lacking. Preparing surfaces with proteins organized in a multifunctional structure is particularly challenging. To this end, proteins can be cast in polymeric matrices suitable for coating or patterning inorganic surfaces, for example, for use in microfluidic devices or as microarrays. Certain materials can even be stamped with “imprint molecules” to produce specific molecular recognition and/or catalytic sites at the surface. This talk will address recent progress and remaining obstacles in the development of such systems, and will describe new applications of biocatalysis enabled by recent improvements in biomaterials engineering.