Combinatorial and High‐Throughput Screening of Biomaterials

Abstract

Combinatorial and high-throughput methods have been increasingly used to accelerate research and development of new biomaterials. These methods involve creating miniaturized libraries that contain many specimens in one sample in the form of gradients or arrays, followed by automated data collection and analysis. This article reviews recent advances in utilizing combinatorial and high-throughput methods to better understand cell-material interactions, particularly highlighting our efforts at the NIST Polymers Division. Specifically, fabrication techniques to generate controlled surfaces (2D) and 3D cell environments (tissue engineering scaffolds) as well as methods to characterize and analyze material properties and cell-material interactions are described. In conclusion, additional opportunities for combinatorial methods for biomaterials research are noted, including streamlined sample fabrication and characterization, appropriate and automated bioassays, and data analysis.

High throughput exploration of process-property linkages in Al-6061 using instrumented spherical microindentation and microstructurally graded samples

“…An important strategy for the practical realization of these goals comes from the development and adoption of novel protocols for extracting critically needed materials information or knowledge in a high throughput manner. As a prime example, the functional and biological materials communities have successfully adopted combinatorial approaches for creating the requisite knowledge systems in their fields [57][58][59][60][61]. Such combinatorial approaches generally involve synthesis methods/protocols for generating materials or sample libraries that contain small volumes of a substantially large variety of materials corresponding to different chemistries and/or process histories.…”

Modelling and Prediction of Bacterial Attachment to Polymers

“…[3][4][5][6][7][8][9] Materials discovery is now increasingly been carried out using high throughput synthesis and characterization methods so that novel, useful areas of materials property space can be identified. [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] While high throughput experimental techniques can dramatically accelerate new materials discovery, it is essential that complementary computational and informatics techniques are also are also be used. These tools allow the efficient extraction of useful information from the large data sets generated by high throughput materials experiments.…”

Fast-Degradable Microbeads Encapsulating Human Umbilical Cord Stem Cells in Alginate for Muscle Tissue Engineering

“…In addition, this hydrogel matrix is beneficial because bioactive agents, such as RGD, can be incorporated into this matrix to interact with the cells released from the degradable microbeads. 61 Although soluble RGD peptide is related with cell death, 31,62 immobilized RGD peptide is important for cell adhesion, [63][64][65] migration, 19,66 and differentiation. 37,55 In the present study, when macropores were created within the matrix with the degradation of microbeads, cells were released into the macroporous matrix, thus allowing the RGDmodified AM to help enhance myogenic differentiation.…”