Selin Naz Öztürk

Master student

Functionalization of Microscopic Mechanically Tunable Beads for Biomedical Applications

Supervisors:

Dr. Marketa Kubankova (Max Planck Institute for Physics and Medicine),

Prof. Aldo R. Boccaccini (FAU)

Mechanically tunable microscopic beads represent a promising model system for biomedical research, as they combine defined physical properties with the possibility of controlled surface modification. In particular, such beads can be used to study how cells respond to external cues in a standardized and reproducible manner. For this purpose, the bead surface must be functionalized with biologically relevant molecules that enable specific interactions with cells. This project focuses on the development and characterization of strategies for the functionalization of polyacrylamide beads for biomedical applications. The aim is to establish reliable methods for coupling biomolecules to the bead surface while maintaining consistent coating across bead populations with different mechanical properties. A central objective is to create a platform that can support defined and reproducible cell–bead interactions, thereby enabling the future use of these particles in controlled biological assays and more complex model systems. In this way, the project contributes to the development of standardized tools for investigating cellular responses under well-defined biochemical and biophysical conditions.