Speaker
Description
4D bioprinting enables the fabrication of dynamic, adaptive materials capable of autonomous shape transformations in response to environmental cues. While most hydrogel-based actuators rely on external control, developing self-regulating soft robotic systems that operate autonomously in physiological conditions remains a significant challenge.
Here, we present 4D-printed protein-driven actuators capable of autonomous "Catch and Release" functions in response to gastric fluid conditions (pH ~2, pepsin 0.5–2 mg/ml). Composed of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA, MW 700), these hydrogel actuators exhibit time-dependent transformations, enabling sequential gripping and payload release without external stimulation.
The hybrid BSA-PEGDA bioink was synthesized via an aza-Michael addition reaction, crosslinked with digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing to achieve tunable microarchitectures and mechanical properties. In simulated gastric conditions, the actuator initially swells as BSA unfolds, allowing it to securely grip its payload. Over time, pepsin-mediated degradation reduces stiffness, enabling a controlled release.
To demonstrate gastric drug delivery potential, doxorubicin (DOX) was incorporated within the hydrogel matrix via non-covalent interactions, ensuring precise, stimuli-driven release. Beyond drug delivery, this system paves the way for biohybrid robotic actuators, autonomous medical grippers, and dynamically responsive biofabricated systems for biomedical applications.
This work advances 4D bioprinting principles by integrating protein-driven autonomous actuation with biofabricated soft robotic functions, offering new directions for autonomous, stimuli-responsive biomaterials in medical devices and biohybrid robotics.
32028900355