<br/>The formation and growth of ice is a huge issue, from ice-build up on aircraft wings or wind turbines, to the frustration of scraping your car windows in winter before driving to work. Biological systems are particularly susceptible to low temperature stress, which can lead to cell death, collapse of microtubule networks, protein aggregation and membrane rupture. Extremophiles have developed an elegant range of macromolecular solutions to control cold-induced damage from antifreeze proteins, to ice nucleating proteins to late embryogenesis proteins.<br/>In this presentation I will discuss the role that synthetic polymer chemistry can play in dissecting how these proteins achieve one of the most complex recognition events in biology – recognising ice in water. I will also discuss our progress in discovering new materials capable of protecting cells and proteins during cryopreservation. Specific examples of nucleated cell cryopreservation using low concentrations of DMSO using these materials will be shown and the relative importance of slowing ice growth verses biochemical protection discussed.

Discovering biomaterials for low-temperature stabilisation of biologics

2019 Fall National Meeting

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