Department of Biomaterials hosted a guest lecture on different in vitro models to test the interactions occurring when various biomaterial surfaces are exposed to blood. The lecture was given by Claudia Sperling from the Institute of Biofunctional Polymer Materials at the Max Bergmann Center of Biomaterials Dresden.
When biomaterials become in contact with blood, they induce reactions of the proteins and cells present in blood. The intensity and type of these complex reactions is dependent on theĀ biomaterial's surface characteristics, such as roughness, surface charge, and hydrophilicity. In her research work, Claudia has focused on understanding the surface properties of a material that influence the interactions at the blood-material interface and developing methods to analyse these interactions in realistic in vitro models. Knowledge of the initial events taking place a the blood-material interface will give valuable information for designing biomaterials that can evoke a desired blood activation reaction when implanted in the human and result in less complications e.g. due to unwanted blood coagulation.