Student(s): Olivia Lundquist
Project: Dual Functionalizing Polymer Membranes for Corneal Replacement
Advisor(s): Lesley Chow
Abstract
Cadaver corneal transplantation is currently the gold-standard treatment for corneal blindness yet meets less than 2% of global donor tissue demand. To address this gap, our lab has developed a synthetic corneal replacement composed of a poly(caprolactone) (PCL) and chitosan (CHI) membrane crosslinked with genipin. Blending CHI with PCL and crosslinking with genipin improved mechanical properties while maintaining optical transparency. We introduced surface functionalization by fabricating membranes with CYGGGRGDSK(Biotin) (RGDS)-PCL or poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-PCL conjugates to enhance cell adhesion or anti-fouling, respectively. The overarching goal is to create a single membrane that maintains optical transparency in the central region while promoting integration with the adjacent tissue around the edges. To achieve this, we cast membranes using 5 mg/mL RGDS-PCL and 25 mg/mL PEG-PCL in distinct regions to create membranes with spatially functionalized zones. We seeded NIH3T3 fibroblasts on the membranes and characterized cell adhesion using fluorescence imaging and DNA quantification at Day 7. These dual-functionalized membranes showed significantly more cells adhered to the RGDS side compared to the PEG side. Transparency within the range of native cornea tissue was also maintained on membranes. These findings establish a platform for engineering spatially functionalized synthetic corneal membranes that advances the development of accessible biomaterials-based alternatives to donor corneal tissue.
About Olivia Lundquist
Major: Materials Science and Engineering
Olivia Lundquist is a senior pursuing a dual degree in Materials Science and Engineering and Environmental Studies through the Integrated Degree in Engineering, Arts and Sciences (IDEAS) honors program. She has been conducting research with Dr. Lesley Chow for almost two years to create a synthetic biomaterial for corneal replacement. Previously, she worked with Dr. Xuanhong Cheng on a water-soluble polymer degradation project. Outside of the lab, she is a Tour Guide Coordinator, TRAC Writing Fellow, Treasurer of the Student Materials Society, Founder and President of the Lehigh Arts and Craft Club, Youth Representative for the World Corrosion Organization, and a Rossin Junior Fellow. She is a member of the Martindale Student Associates Honors Program Croatia cohort and was previously selected for the Global Citizenship Program, Lehigh in the Dominican Republic, and Lehigh Launch: Ecuador.