Melanin Nanoparticle–Based Hydrogels as MRI-Trackable Biomaterials

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Baysoy E., Dayeh A., Pamuk U., Bağcı C., Ulug B., Ayan B., ...Daha Fazla

12th World Congress on Electrical Engineering and Computer Systems and Sciences, EECSS 2026, London, İngiltere, 16 - 18 Ağustos 2026, (Tam Metin Bildiri)

  • Yayın Türü: Bildiri / Tam Metin Bildiri
  • Doi Numarası: 10.11159/icbes26.115
  • Basıldığı Şehir: London
  • Basıldığı Ülke: İngiltere
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Contrast Agent, Hydrogel, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, MNP-Hydrogel Combined Platform, Natural Melanin Nanoparticles
  • Açık Arşiv Koleksiyonu: AVESİS Açık Erişim Koleksiyonu
  • Boğaziçi Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Hydrogels are hydrophilic, three-dimensional polymeric networks widely used as biocompatible and biodegradable scaffolds in biomedical applications such as wound healing, tissue engineering, and drug delivery. Although hydrogels are inherently compatible and a natural signal source for MRI-based visualization due to its high-water content, conventional MRI often fails to distinguish hydrogels from the surrounding soft tissues, limiting their traceability and precise localization in vivo. Unlike metal-based nanoparticles that suffer from poor biodegradability and long-term toxicity, in this study, we check the feasibility of a Fe³⁺-chelated MNPs integrated hydrogel-based system to create a multifunctional platform that supports wound healing and drug delivery while enabling real-time, non-invasive monitoring using MRI. SEM analysis demonstrated that MNP–Fe³⁺ retained a predominantly spherical morphology, exhibiting an average particle diameter of 344.7 ± 118.3 nm. Dynamic light scattering measurements indicated an average hydrodynamic diameter of 191 ± 72.6 nm, reflecting a moderately broad size distribution characteristic of naturally derived melanin nanoparticles. MRI visibility analysis indicated that MNP-Fe3+ containing hydrogel models in different concentrations presented higher brightness compared to controls at 7 T preclinical MR scanner. The MNP-Fe3+–integrated hydrogel platform presented in this study establishes a biocompatible and biodegradable approach for creating MRI-trackable biomaterials without reliance on conventional synthetic and non-biocompatible contrast agents.