PEG-based microgels to modify biomaterials surfaces

Summary Microgels are hydrogel particles ∼0.1-10 microns in size which have been increasingly explored for biomaterials applications. They can be designed to sequester drugs based on both hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions, and different strategies exist to trigger drug release from them. Microgels based on poly(ethylene glycol) are particularly attractive because of their intrinsic antifouling properties, the flexibility they bring to microgel design and synthesis, and the regulatory precedents set by PEG's use in a number of FDA-approved applications. This paper briefly reviews progress in the field of PEG-based microgels. We give examples illustrating their electrostatic deposition onto biomaterial surfaces and their ability to sequester antimicrobials for applications involving biomaterials-associated infection.