Innovative Material for Tissue Growth Exhibits Self-Repair and Antimicrobial Qualities

Attributed to UNSW Sydney

A groundbreaking substance capable of transforming the process of human tissue growth for medical applications has been created by scientists at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney.

The material, classified as a hydrogel, is part of a class of compounds inherently found in various forms of life, including the cartilage in animals and specific types of plants like seaweed. Hydrogels are of particular interest in the realm of biomedical science due to their ability to emulate the structure and function of human tissue, providing a suitable environment for cellular growth in the lab setting.

Although there are synthetic hydrogels employed in a variety of consumer goods—from food and beauty products to medical applications such as wound sealing and tissue replacement—these man-made variants often fail to replicate the intricate characteristics of natural human tissue.

Published today in the journal Nature Communications, the research team from UNSW reveals that their newly synthesized hydrogel closely mimics the behavior of natural tissues and possesses several extraordinary attributes relevant to applications in medicine, food technology, and manufacturing.

Associate Professor Kris Kilian from UNSW’s School of Materials Science & Engineering and School of Chemistry explains that the hydrogel is constructed from simple, short peptides, which are the foundational elements of proteins.

“Encapsulated cells within the material exhibit behaviors consistent with residing in a natural tissue environment,” Associate Professor Kilian remarks. “Additionally, the hydrogel is inherently antimicrobial, providing a defense against bacterial infections. This dual functionality makes it particularly promising for medical applications. Furthermore, the material has self-healing properties, allowing it to recover its shape following deformation, making it a prime candidate for applications such as 3D bioprinting or as an injectable material in medical settings.”

Discovery During Pandemic Lockdown

The material was discovered by Ashley Nguyen, a PhD student at the UNSW School of Chemistry, through computational simulations carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Ms. Nguyen had been investigating molecules capable of self-assembly—arranging themselves into ordered structures without manual intervention—and came across the concept of ‘tryptophan zippers,’ or ‘Trpzip,’ short chains of amino acids that facilitate self-assembly.

“I was elated when the computational models indicated that a unique peptide sequence could form a hydrogel,” states Ms. Nguyen. “Upon resuming lab work, I synthesized the leading candidate and was delighted to find it indeed formed a gel.”

Nguyen emphasizes the ethical benefits of Trpzip, saying, “Natural hydrogels have various applications, from food to cosmetics, but their extraction from animals raises ethical questions and potentially triggers negative immune responses in humans. Trpzip not only offers an ethical alternative but could also surpass natural materials in terms of its applicability in clinical research.”

Validation and Future Prospects

To assess the potential of Trpzip in the biomedical sector, Associate Professor Kilian’s team collaborated with Dr. Shafagh Waters from UNSW’s School of Biomedical Sciences. She has been using Matrigel—a hydrogel derived from mouse tumors—as a medium for cultivating patient tissue.

“Matrigel has inconsistencies batch-to-batch. A chemically stable alternative like Trpzip could provide both cost-efficiency and uniformity, which would be a boon to biomedical research,” Dr. Waters notes.

Associate Professor Kilian highlights the substantial economic impact of natural materials and expresses eagerness to explore commercialization opportunities. “The next steps will involve engaging with industry experts and clinical scientists to further examine the application of Trpzip gels in areas such as 3D bioprinting and stem cell delivery,” he states.

The study received financial support from the Australian Research Council, the National Health and Medical Research Council, the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health, the Sydney Children’s Hospital Network Foundation, and Luminesce Alliance 20 Research.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Trpzip hydrogel

More about Trpzip hydrogel

• Nature Communications Journal Article
• UNSW Sydney School of Materials Science & Engineering
• UNSW Sydney School of Chemistry
• Australian Research Council
• National Health and Medical Research Council
• National Cancer Institute
• Sydney Children’s Hospital Network Foundation
• Luminesce Alliance 20 Research
• Overview of Hydrogels
• Biomedical Research Applications