The long-term objective of this project is the development of new reagents and methodologies for coupling polymers and antithrombogenic compounds to polymer surfaces in multistep sequences under aqueous conditions. The specific aims of the Phase I research are: (1) synthesis, characterization, and stability stu~dies of polyethylene oxide (PEO) spacers modified with novel, water-stable end groups; (2) development of a process for chemically treating aminefunctionalized silicone surfaces with these waterstable PEO spacer molecules under aqueous conditions; and (3) development of highly efficient procedures for attachment of biomplecules to PEO treated surfaces and evaluation of bioactivity. Successful reagents and methodologies would permit the treatment of a variety of complex, multicomponent blood-contacting devices under conditions that would not impair the chemical, toxicological, and mechanical performance specifications for these devices. These results would be immediately applicable to a wide variety of existing FDA-approved blood-contacting devices and to many applications involving solid-phase synthesis and protein and drug conjugation chemistry.Awardee's statement of the potential commercial applications of the research:Artifcial hearts, heart valves, blood oxygenators, implantable drug delivery pumps, cardiopulmonary bypass circuits and left ventricular assist devices are examples of blood-contacting devices that would benefit from this research. Treatment of these devices to make them antithrombogenic would increase their effectiveness and expand the number of clinical uses.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NLBI)
