New peptide advance ‘could allow implantable devices to integrate more easily’

A new method has been developed for integrating implantable devices into the body in a way that allows them to communicate biological signals to surrounding tissue.

Researchers from the University of Sydney have developed a low-cost, practical technique for guiding and attaching peptides to the surface of these devices, allowing better integration with the body and a reduced risk of infection.

By applying an electric field comparable to that delivered by a small household-sized battery, the team was able to achieve precise control of both peptide orientation and surface concentration, with these biomaterial coatings masking the implanted devices and mimicking surrounding tissue.

There are a range of potential applications for this method, ranging from bone implants to cardiovascular stents and artificial blood vessels. By achieving better biocompatibility, it is hoped that device replacement through revision surgery will be needed less often.

Marcela Bilek, professor of applied physics and surface engineering at the University of Sydney Nano Institute, said: "The holy grail is a surface that interacts seamlessly and naturally with host tissue through biomolecular signalling."

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