This paper presents the development of a low-cost MEMS based biomimetic tactile device intended to be incorporated as the core element in a biomimetic fingerpad. The developed silicon based sensing devices consist of an array of capacitive sensors with optimized design to measure force ranges encountered during tactile exploration of surfaces with different textures. As with the biological fing...

In this study, acicular nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA) was used to make a new biomimetic composite with polyamide (poly hexamethylene adipamide) by a unique technique. The physical and chemical characteristics of the composites were tested. It was found that these synthesized n-HA crystals were similar to bone apatite in size, phase composition and crystal structure. The biomimetic n-HA crystals we...

Termites and the structures they build have been used as exemplars of biomimetic designs for climate control in buildings, like Zimbabwe’s Eastgate Centre, and various other “termite-inspired” buildings. Remarkably, these designs are based upon an erroneous conception of how termite mounds actually work. In this article, we review recent progress in the structure and function of termite mounds,...

This study summarizes the development of a novel and biomimetic particle technology that consists of a biodegradable polymeric core encapsulating cellularly derived growth factors and encased with membrane-fragments of cardiac stem cells. This technology was demonstrated to increase cardiac cell viability and function in vitro as well as increasing post-myocardial infarct tissue repair in vivo....

A new and easily regenerable NAD(P)H model 9,10-dihydrophenanthridine (DHPD) has been designed for biomimetic asymmetric hydrogenation of imines and aromatic compounds. This reaction features the use of hydrogen gas as terminal reductant for the regeneration of the DHPD under the mild condition. Therefore, the substrate scope is not limited in benzoxazinones; the biomimetic asymmetric hydrogena...

Stem cell therapy is an emerging technique which is being translated into treatment of degenerated tissues. However, the success of translation relies on the stem cell lineage commitment in the degenerated regions of interest. This commitment is precisely controlled by the stem cell microenvironment. Engineering a biomimetic three-dimensional microenvironment enables a thorough understanding of...

Tetrahydrofuran lignans represent a well-known group of phenolic compounds capable of acting as antiparasitic agents. In the search for new medicines for the treatment of Chagas disease, one promising compound is grandisin which has shown significant activity on trypomastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi. In this work, the in vitro metabolism of grandisin was studied in the pig cecum model and b...

The theme of our NIH Nanomedicine Development Center is design of biomimetic nanoconductors and devices utilizing nanoconductors. The model theoretical systems are native and mutant biological channels and other ion transport proteins and synthetic channels, and heterogenous membranes containing channels and transporters. The model experimental systems are engineered protein channels and synthe...

As a novel biomimetic polymer, we have developed polymer gels with an autonomous self-oscillating function. This was achieved by utilizing oscillating chemical reactions, called the Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction, which is recognized as a chemical model for understanding several autonomous phenomena in biological systems. Under the coexistence of the reactants, the polymer gel undergoes spo...

Although peptide amphiphiles have been explored as nanomaterials for different applications, nanostructures formed by hierarchical molecular assembly of sequencespecific peptidomimetics are much less developed. Such protein-like nanomaterials could enhance the current application of peptide-based amphiphiles by enriching the diversity of nanostructures, increasing in vivo stability for biomedic...