Adhesion Mechanism and Biocompatibility of Biomimetic Adhesive Moiety

The catechol adhesive found in mussel adhesive proteins is capable of binding to both organic and inorganic surfaces through either irreversible covalent or strong reversible bonds. Incorporation of v...
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Novel Hydrogel Actuator Inspired by Reversible Mussel Adhesive Protein Chemistry

Man-made machines are composed mainly of hard materials (e.g., mechanical joints, electric motors), which can be disadvantageous in applications that require handling materials that are soft, fragile,...
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Injectable Nanocomposite Bioadhesive Hydrogel

Branched poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) end-capped with mimics of adhesive moiety found in mussel adhesive protein, dopamine, was combined with a biocompatible nano-silicate, Laponite, in creating a nano...
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Funding Awarded for Developing Strong Biomimetic Adhesive

Our lab has received a three-year research grant entitled “Biomimetic Tissue Adhesive with Mechanically Tough Hydrogel Support” from the National Institutes of Health. The objectives of this proje...
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Fracture Resistant Nanocomposite Hydrogel

Hydrogels are 3-dimensional polymeric networks with water content as much as over 99 weight percent (wt%). They are utilized in various applications including tissue adhesives, extracellular matrices ...
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Bruce Lee

Dr. Lee – Group Leader

Group Biography

The Lee group research is focused on applying biologically-inspired molecular designs with chemistry, polymer engineering and materials science principles in developing advanced and functional materials for various biomedical applications. Current projects include applying biomimetic structural designs to create tough hydrogels that can potentially function as tissue adhesives or extracellular matrices for tissue repair and regeneration, and hydrogel actuators and smart adhesives.

Prior to joining Michigan Tech, Dr. Lee helped found a start-up company, Nerites Corporation, which aimed at commercializing biomimetic bioadhesive and antifouling technologies. Nerites Corporation was acquired by Kensey Nash Corporation (part of Royal DSM) in 2011.

Dr. Lee was awarded the Young Investigator Award  by the Office of Naval Research in 2016 and the Bhakta Rath Research Award in 2019.

Currently, our lab is seeking PhD and MS graduate students focused in the areas of polymer chemistry, adhesive science, and material science.

Please consider submitting manuscript to “Gels | Special Issue : Tough Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications 2.0 (mdpi.com)“, a special issue of Gels (ISSN 2310-2861). Deadline for manuscript submissions: September 30, 2021.