Harnessing nature’s inspiration for biomaterials innovation

Dr. Yan’s seminar will present his recent discoveries in engineered purified-mucin gels, synthesised using click or bioorthogonal chemistry. His work has demonstrated "mucus-like" gels for lubrication and infection prevention (e.g., HIV, HSV), and other sexually transmitted infections, as well as engineered "stable" mucin gels and microdroplets for microencapsulation of microtissues that evade immune detection. Furthermore, his work has shown that these gels form a localised immunosuppressive barrier, effectively protecting the remaining nucleus pulposus of intervertebral discs (IVD) from immune cell attacks, providing a novel solution for post-surgical care, helping to prevent further damage following the removal of herniated discs.