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Diversification and enrichment of clinical biomaterials inspired by Darwinian evolution
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Diversification and enrichment of clinical biomaterials inspired by Darwinian evolution

D W Green, Gregory S Watson, Jolanta A Watson, Dongjoon Lee, J-M Lee and H S Jung
Acta Biomaterialia, Vol.42, pp.33-45
2016
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actbio.2016.06.039
url
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actbio.2016.06.039View
Published Version

Abstract

accelerated evolution artificial selection biomaterials biomimetics computational modelling convergent evolution Darwinian evolution directed evolution protocells synthetic biology
Regenerative medicine and biomaterials design are driven by biomimicry. There is the essential requirement to emulate human cell, tissue, organ and physiological complexity to ensure long-lasting clinical success. Biomimicry projects for biomaterials innovation can be re-invigorated with evolutionary insights and perspectives, since Darwinian evolution is the original dynamic process for biological organisation and complexity. Many existing human inspired regenerative biomaterials (defined as a nature generated, nature derived and nature mimicking structure, produced within a biological system, which can deputise for or replace human tissues for which it closely matches with.) are without important elements of biological complexity such as, hierarchy and autonomous actions. It is possible to engineer these essential elements into clinical biomaterials via bioinspired implementation of concepts, processes and mechanisms played out during Darwinian evolution; mechanisms such as, directed, computational, accelerated evolutions and artificial selection contrived in the laboratory. These dynamos for innovation can be used during biomaterials fabrication, but also to choose optimal designs in the regeneration process. Further evolutionary information can help at the design stage; gleaned from the historical evolution of material adaptations compared across phylogenies to changes in their environment and habitats. Taken together, harnessing evolutionary mechanisms and evolutionary pathways, leading to ideal adaptations, will eventually provide a new class of Darwinian and evolutionary biomaterials. This will provide bioengineers with a more diversified and more efficient innovation tool for biomaterial design, synthesis and function than currently achieved with synthetic materials chemistry programmes and rational based materials design approach, which require reasoned logic. It will also inject further creativity, diversity and richness into the biomedical technologies that we make. All of which are based on biological principles. Such evolution-inspired biomaterials have the potential to generate innovative solutions, which match with existing bioengineering problems, in vital areas of clinical materials translation that include tissue engineering, gene delivery, drug delivery, immunity modulation, and scar-less wound healing.

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Engineering, Biomedical
Materials Science, Biomaterials

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