The Bailey Lab aims to address challenges in biomedical materials from a molecular design perspective. We work at the interface of organic synthesis, polymer chemistry, and biomedicine to explore how stimuli-responsive bonds can be incorporated into biocompatible materials. We then explore how these new chemistries and materials can be used to overcome obstacles in the fields of drug delivery, tissue engineering, and biomimicry.

Mechanical force is a largely untapped stimulus that can be readily introduced to materials through physical deformation or exposure to ultrasound. The design of force-responsive molecular units – or mechanophores – that have the ability to release therapeutics or change material properties on demand holds great promise for the biomedical field. Our lab aims to synthesize and employ mechanophores within soft materials systems for applications in both drug delivery and biomimetic material development.

Synthetic hydrogels have been used extensively as extracellular matrix mimics, enabling advances in the field of regenerative medicine as well as tools to study complex cellular behaviors in vitro. To best emulate natural tissues, synthetic hydrogels must be designed with dynamic linkages that can rearrange and dissipate forces as cells grow, divide, and migrate throughout their environment. However, challenges exist in designing crosslinking systems that remain dynamic while resisting rapid dissolution and material erosion in vitro and in vivo. Our lab is addressing this challenge by combining dynamic covalent and supramolecular interactions to access hydrogels with improved properties.