This lecture explores recent innovations in biomaterials, focusing on biomimetic and biohybrid polymers. It discusses how synthetic materials can understand, reproduce and sometimes enhance the functions of living organisms, paving the way for breakthrough innovations in healthcare.
Biomimetic polymers, designed to mimic biological structures and functions, offer unique prospects for the development of higher-performance, biocompatible materials. As for biohybrid polymers, they seek to combine the best properties of natural and synthetic systems, creating a new class of biomaterials capable of meeting the complex challenges of modern medicine and beyond.
The lecture focuses in particular on the use of polypeptides and proteins as building blocks for the design of innovative biomaterials. These bio-inspired macromolecules, when combined with advances in nanotechnology, enable the development of sophisticated therapeutic devices and more targeted and effective drug delivery systems.
The lecture also addresses the challenges of biodegradability and (bio)recycling of these new materials, raising the question of their environmental impact and their potential for more sustainable medicine.
One of the key themes of this lecture concerns the creation of artificial cells, mimicking the complexity of the living world to better understand biological processes and envisage new therapies. Dynamic multi-component and multi-scale assemblies are also studied, from basic research to future applications in cell therapy and the creation of bionic systems.
Finally, a specific focus is placed on cancer treatment and neuroscience, illustrating the advances that these biomaterials could bring to the medicine of tomorrow and the day after, pushing back the current limits of available treatments.