POLYMERIC MATERIALS TO MINIMIZE CELL AND TISSUE ADHESION

USING THE MOUSE PERITONEAL IMPLANT MODEL, MATERIALS WILL BE EVALUATED FOR THEIR BIOCOMPATIBILITY. THE OBJECTIVE OF THISSTUDY WILL BE TO DEVELOP MATERIALS WITH MINIMAL TENDENCY FORCELLULAR AND TISSUE ADHESION. POLYURETHANES AND SILICONES, MATERIALS WIDELY USED IN BIOMEDICAL DEVICE FABRICATION, WILLBE SYNTHESIZED OR MODIFIED TO YIELD A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF POLYETHER FUNCTIONALITY AT THE POLYMER SURFACE. PREVIOUS STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT THE POLYETHER SURFACE PROVIDES THESEDESIRABLE CHARACTERISTICS. THE MATERIALS WILL BE EVALUATED UP TO 4 MONTHS OF IMPLANTATION TIME. PHASE II DEVELOPMENTS WILL INCLUDE ADDRESSING THE LONG-TERM STABILITY OF THE SILICONE MATERIALS, IF NECESSARY,TO PROVIDE COVALENT ATTACHMENT OF THE POLYETHER FUNCTIONALITY AT THE SURFACE UPON CURING. LONG-TERM ANIMAL STUDIES WILL BE DIRECTED TOWARD EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESSOF THE MATERIALS OVER TIME. THESE ANIMAL STUDIES WILL USE PROTOCOLS DIRECTED TOWARD SPECIFIC IMPLANTS AND WILL BE DONE IN COOPERATION WITH COMPANIES ALREADY PRODUCING SOFT-TISSUE IMPLANT DEVICES.