Developing Multi-biofunctional Polymeric Materials 

Artificial materials in medicine are increasingly being used in ways that warrant their interaction with cells, bacteria, blood, tissue, and sometimes a combination of these complex living systems. The fates of such interactions are critical for applications including biomimetic surfaces, regenerative medicine, immunomodulation, smart biomaterials for drug delivery, and many more. For blood-contacting devices, their surface interactions with blood mostly lead to blood coagulation, inflammation, device failure and patient complications.

 

Over the past decade, Dr. Amoako has focused on understanding the underlining mechanisms of artificial materials and blood interaction. He has investigated and published several articles on bioinspired anti-platelet nitric oxide (NO) release from artificial materials, prototyped NO releasing/generating catheters and artificial lungs, and studied the biocompatibility of these devices in an extracorporeal circulation and implantation settings. He has also studied superlow fouling zwitterionic coatings. These materials are biomimetic, and have demonstrated ultra-low fouling in complex media. They have been shown to prevent the formation of a collagenous capsule on implants, increased the bioavailability of drug/gene delivery and diagnostics nanoparticles.

 

Currently, we focus on innovating new and biocompatible surfaces using bionspired approaches, developing medical device prototypes, and conducting in-vivo device biocompatibility testings reflective of clinical practice.