Our research purpose is to create the innovative nanobioceramics and interfaces towards “Cellular Therapeutics” in biomedical fields. The studies on “(i) the nanobioceramic-induced control of cell functions through the interfacial material-cell interactions” and “(ii) the effective cellular uptakes of ligand-modified nanobioceramics” has been recently focused as shown in
Figure 1.
When biomaterials are implanted into our body, proteins in the body fluid are initially adsorbed and then the cells adhere to the surfaces. The adhered cell functions differently respond with different biomaterial surface properties (e.g., nanostructures, chemical composition, etc.). Therefore, I propose that the understanding of cellular response to nanobiomaterial surfaces is crucial for successful biomedical applications (e.g., tissue regeneration and integration). I have first researched how to clarify interfacial phenomena of the protein adsorption and subsequent cell adhesion using various analytical techniques (e.g., Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation (QCM-D), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Fluorescent Microscopy, etc.) as shown in
Figure 2.
Figure 2. Scheme of our research on the nano-bio interfaces.
We focus on understanding the enhanced interfacial biocompatibility by explaining the role of highly-ordered nanostructures through protein-mediation (
Figure 3). As a result, the interesting nanobiomaterials (apatite, hydrogels, and the composites) have been successfully prepared, and the different protein adsorption and cell adhesion processes have been demonstrated depending on the nanostructures. This approach clarifies several ambiguities of the interfacial phenomena between biomaterials and cells, and helps to design novel biomaterials to be implanted in the human body.
Figure 3. Illustration scheme of the enhanced interfacial biocompatibility by explaining the role of highly-ordered nanostructures
Recentrly, incorporation of anthracene into sIlica−surfactant nanostructures were successfully achieved using a simple mechanochemical process. “solid-solid reaction”. Based on the hydrophobic interactions between micelles and anthracene, the nanocomposites showed the efficient luminescence due to the monomeric state, suggesting the mono-disperstion in the mesopores. An anticancer drug (e.g., ibuprofen etc.) with the difficult dissolution into water can be easily supported by the surfactant-silica mesostructures, and the dispersion into water is still more possible by the silica surfaces (
Figure 4).
Figure 4. Designed Synthesis of the Multi-functional Bioceramic-Organic Nanohybrids.
In future, these technologies can effectively encourage/improve the illnesses based on patient’s natural healing ability.
Department of Materials Science and Technology, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagaoka University of Technology,1603-1 Kamitomioka, Nagaoka, Niigata 940-2188, JAPAN
Biography Dr. Motohiro Tagaya received his B.S. degree (Bachelor of Science) from Waseda University in 2004, and Master degree (Master of Engineering) from Tokyo Institute of Technology in 2006. He then joined the Materials Laboratory of Sony Co. (Japan) as a Research Scientist. He received his Doctorate (Doctor of Engineering) from Tokyo Institute of Technology in 2010 under the supervision of Professor Junzo Tanaka. He then moved to Tokyo Institute of Technology as a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) Special Research Fellowship. In 2011, he became an Assistant Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Technology at Nagaoka University of Technology (NUT). In 2014, he promoted to be a Tenure-Track Associate Professor in Top Runner Incubation Center for Academia-Industry Fusion (Department of Materials Science and Technology (Concurrent)) of NUT. In 2017, he became and Associate Professor in Department of Materials Science and Technology of NUT. His recent research topics are “Preparation of biocompatible interfaces for controlling cell functions”, and “Design of nanomaterials in response to external stimuli for therapeutics” on the basis of the interfacial design between bioceramics and polymers. He is the author and coauthor of ca. 80 original papers, reviews and books, and 31 patents. He was a recipient of Best Poster Award 2nd Prize in The 6th Nanoprint and Nanoimprint Technology 2007 (October, 2007), the 28th Inoue Research Award for Young Scientists (February, 2012), Gold Poster Award in the 6th International Conference on the Science and Technology for Advanced Ceramics (June, 2012), The 32th JSAP Incentive Award for Excellent Presentation in Japan Society of Applied Physics (September, 2012), The 18th Award for Encouragement of Research in DV-Xα Research Association, Award for Encouragement of Research in Polymer Science in The Society of Polymer Science, Japan (June, 2014).
