Abstract
This lesson explores recent advances in the field of biopolymers, in particular biomimetic and biohybrid polymers. Since ancient times, with materials such as rubber and silk, scientists have been striving to understand and imitate natural processes to develop more efficient materials. Polymers and their biomimetic assemblies, which reproduce biological structures and functions, and biohybrid systems, which combine the advantages of natural and synthetic systems, are today opening up revolutionary prospects for medicine.
In particular, polypeptides and proteins offer unique potential for the design of advanced systems, from drug delivery to therapeutic devices. The convergence of chemical science and materials physics, biology and nanotechnology, at the crossroads of biomimicry, is driving innovations aimed at treating complex pathologies ranging from cancer to neurodegenerative diseases.
Innovation goes beyond passive imitation: dynamic polymer assemblies, such as those endowed with motor autonomy, and the creation of artificial cells, are pushing back the frontiers of science. These developments open up new avenues for understanding biological processes and developing cutting-edge therapies.
Finally, this lecture will highlight not only the considerable opportunities for society, but also the technical, regulatory and industrial challenges to be overcome to bring these innovations from the laboratory to clinical practice, in an often conservative context.
