Johns Hopkins University

The United States of America, As Represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services

Daniel Smith

Joel Patrick Schneider

Gerald Brandacher

Johanna Grahammer

Gabriel Brat

This disclosure provides novel hydrogels that can undergo multiple gel-sol transitions and methods of making and using such hydrogels, particularly in anastomosis procedures. The peptide hydrogels comprising a fibrillar network of peptides that are in an amphiphilic &#x3b2;-hairpin conformation. The peptides comprise photo-caged glutamate residues with a neutral photocage that can be photolytically selectively uncaged to disrupt the fibrillar network and trigger an irreversible gel-sol phase transition of the hydrogel. Isolated peptides for making the disclosed hydrogels are provided, as are methods of using the peptide hydrogels in anastomosis procedures.

Growing community of inventors

West Chester, PA, United States of America

Daniel Smith