Interactions between Surface Nanopatterns, Cells, and Bacteria

During the last decade, the importance of physical cues in regu-lating cell response has been discovered. The physical cues may include the stiffness of the biomaterial within which the cells are residing as well as the nanopatterns they are exposed to and the applied forces (stretching/contraction). In the vast majority of the cases, the mechanisms underlying such effects are mechanobio-logical in nature. In this talk, I will discuss the importance of sur-face nanopatterns, as one of the major types of physical cues, for determining the differentiation of stem cell towards the osteogen-ic lineage and preventing implant-associated infections through the creation of surfaces with bactericidal effects. The fabrication, characterization, and biological assessment of the nanopatterns will receive the most attention. In addition to surface nanopat-terns, the other types of surface treatments that could be used for achieving both above-mentioned goals will be also covered.