Protein Aggregates as Biomaterials and Innovative Materials

Call for Papers

The study of the biophysical properties of specific biomaterials constitutes a first approach and a critical role for their applications in tissue engineering, reconstructive surgery. and regenerative medicine. Programmed self-assembly proteins offer significant promise for the generation of new types of well-defined multifunctional materials to provide structural and functional supports. For these purposes, information on the biophysical properties of proteins, during and after their aggregation, can be used for manipulating the aggregates in different phases, from gel to film or solid matrix, depending on the final use and application. Further, the enviable properties of amyloid-like fibrils, such as their stability and robustness, their nanoscale dimensions, their suitability for chemical modification, and their inherent biological compatibility, are generating increasing interest in the use of these fibrils as new materials. For example, metallised fibrils seem to display an ohmic conductivity and their electrostatically controlled deposition onto a surface may generate a patterned array.

In this volume, we would like to give the opportunity to the scientific community to compile up-to-date information using biophysical approaches in the construction, characterization, and application of protein-based novel materials. This could also stimulate the continuing efforts to understand how self-assembled proteins can be used as biomaterials in applied fields. For these reasons, we invite investigators to contribute original research articles and review articles. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Recent developments in protein assembly research including biophysical characterization
• Description of new methods for characterizing structure and properties of self-assembled proteins
• Advances in construction and production of protein-based biomaterials
• New applications for biomaterials and technological materials built from protein aggregates or protein-based polymers
• Latest technologies and methods to study protein-based smart materials

The studies should be based on experimental biophysical methods such as spectroscopy and/or microscopy.

Before submission authors should carefully read over the journal's Author Guidelines, which are located at http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jbp/guidelines/. Prospective authors should submit an electronic copy of their complete manuscript through the journal Manuscript Tracking System at http://mts.hindawi.com/ according to the following timetable:

Lead Guest Editor

• Valeria Militello, Department of Physics, University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy

Guest Editors

• Louise Serpell, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9RH, UK
• Dave Adams, Department of Chemistry, The University of Liverpool, Merseyside L69 3BX, UK