As material sciences and biotechnology are increasingly being evaluated as promising fields, many scientists and researchers have devoted their efforts to creating scientific breakthroughs. Recently, a remarkable scientific breakthrough in the field of nanotechnology was unveiled by a Korea University (KU) research team, which was led by Jeon Yoo Sang Ph.D. (’10, Material Science and Engineering), Min Sunhong (’13, Material Science and Engineering), an integrated Ph.D. program student, Professor Kang Heemin (Department of Material Science and Engineering), and Professor Kim Young Keun (Department of Material Science and Engineering).
The joint research team at the Department of Material Science and Engineering developed the world's first system that enables the attachment and differentiation of stem cells through nano-coding. The thesis was published on a worldwide academic journal, Advanced Materials, on August 21. The system can precisely control the periodicity and arrangement order of ligands on the surface of implants by utilizing iron-gold multi-layer structural nano barcodes. It was confirmed that the lower the nano-rigand periodicity and the more the sequence was placed at the end, the more successful the attachment rate of stem cells and the differentiation rate to bone cells.
Stem cells detect the surrounding environment and can differentiate into tissue cells that fit that environment. This feature can be used to induce differentiation into various organ tissue cells, including bones, fat, and blood vessels. According to Min, it was challenging to control stem cells' differentiation, which was applied to organisms such as patient-specific regenerative treatments. However, the research team devised that they could solve the difficulty if they apply the changes in the periodicity to the multi-layer nano-lines.
Min mentioned that this study's goal was to influence stem cells by varying the periodicity and sequence of nano barcodes. Nevertheless, in nanomaterials, the change in shape and size might inevitably change the basic properties of the material, such as the magnetic properties and the cohesion rate. As this could lead the research into a wrong result instead of corresponding to the hypothesis, the team devoted its greatest effort to control these factors carefully.
The nano barcodes developed this time have magnetic properties, so they have endless potential for development in that they can control time and space in an environmentally harmless way. In addition, it is expected to enable the adjustment of adhesion or functions of macrophages, immune cells, and cancer cells that affect chemotherapy. Therefore, it will become a basis for establishing customized treatment systems such as tissue regeneration and chemotherapy according to an individual patient’s situation.
According to Min, there are still many tasks to be solved. The current technology cannot yet control the differentiation of stem cells, which could potentially risk the cells to become the wrong cells or mutate into cancer. Therefore, the research team looks forward to stabilizing the technology in order to create an advancement in the field of material science and engineering that will benefit patients in need.