We develop smart hydrogel systems that combine biocompatibility with practical performance—robust mechanics, durability, and recovery after damage. We design hydrogel networks using chemical and supramolecular crosslinking strategies, multi-network architectures, and dynamic bonds to achieve tunable mechanics and long-term stability in physiological environments. Our work emphasizes balancing mechanical integrity, hydration-driven interactions, and processability, enabling translation into biomedical formats such as coatings, carriers, and tissue-facing materials.

Keywords: smart hydrogels, toughness, self-healing, supramolecular/chemical crosslinking, dynamic networks

Our team engineers biointerfaces by precisely controlling the hydration state and water structure at polymer and hydrogel surfaces, aiming to steer the earliest biological events upon contact with the body—protein adsorption, cell adhesion, and immune activation. We treat interfacial water as a central design parameter and develop reproducible design rules that account for coupled factors including surface chemistry, charge, nanoscale structure, and mechanics. This hydration-guided approach supports the creation of hemocompatible materials and translates to blood- and tissue-contacting biomedical device applications, including surface coatings and interface-modified materials for improved biological performance.

Keywords: hydration state, interfacial water structure, biointerfaces, protein adsorption control, hemocompatibility, biomedical devices

We design stimuli-responsive hydrogels whose properties and functions can be programmed by external or physiological triggers—such as light, temperature, pH, ionic strength, redox conditions, or enzymatic activity. By coupling responsive chemistries with controlled network architecture, we aim to create materials that can switch stiffness, permeability, adhesion, or degradation on demand, enabling spatiotemporal control over cell microenvironments and therapeutic performance. These responsive systems are also explored as platforms for on-demand release, dynamic cell instruction, and adaptive interfaces that better match changing biological conditions.

Keywords: stimuli-responsive hydrogels, photo/thermo/pH response, dynamic permeability, spatiotemporal control, on-demand function

We use 3D microenvironment design and single-cell encapsulation to understand and program how biomaterials regulate cell behavior at the individual-cell level. Because cells respond differently in 2D versus 3D—and because heterogeneity is intrinsic—we engineer controlled microenvironments that allow us to tune key cues such as mechanics, hydration/interfacial signals, molecular presentation, and transport. Through this approach, we establish actionable principles for directing stem/stromal cell morphology, fate decisions, differentiation trends, and functional stability, and translate these insights into cell delivery strategies.

Keywords: cell microenvironment, single-cell encapsulation, 3D biomaterials, stem/stromal cell programming, transport