Developing functionality in elastin-like polymers by increasing their molecular complexity: the power of the genetic engineering approach

A series of molecular designs with increasing complexity are presented to show how this controlled increase yields materials with increasingly selective and sophisticated multifunctionality. The simplest designs already show interesting mechanical properties, but the adequate introduction of given chemical functions along the polymer chain provides an opportunity to expand the range of properties to smart behavior and self-assembly. Finally, examples are given where the molecular designs further incorporate selected bioactivities in order to develop materials for the most cutting-edge applications in f biomedicine and nanobiotechnology.