Physical and molecular interactions of different cell types and biomolecules on nanostructured polymeric materials

Polymers play an essential role in biomedical devices. Bacterial contamination on polymeric surfaces hinders the functionality of the device, ultimately leading to its failure. Patients requiring polymeric implantable materials are commonly exposed to a high risk of healthcare associated-infections. Therefore, an in-depth investigation into the interactions taking place at the bio-interfaces of bacterial cells and human proteins on polymeric surfaces is crucial. This work may provide a useful insight towards the development of straightforward, tunable and low-cost microfabrication approaches for the evolving suite of physical anti-biofouling materials that are not reliant on biocidal agents and biocompatible for biomedical applications.