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The synthesis of galactose-displaying core-shell nanospheres exhibiting both fluorescent and magnetic properties by grafting a glycocopolymer consisting of 6-O-methacryloylgalactopyranose (MAGal) and 4-(pyrenyl)butyl methacrylate (PyMA) onto magnetic silica particles via thiol-ene chemistry is reported. Magnetization measurements indicated that neither the encapsulation of the iron oxide particles into silica nor the grafting of the glycocopolymer chains had a significant influence on the superparamagnetic properties. This not only simplifies the purification of the particles but may facilitate the use of the particles in applications such as hyperthermia or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Furthermore, the hydrophilic glycopolymer shell provided solubility of the particles in aqueous medium and enabled the uptake of the particles into the cytoplasm and nucleus of lung cancer cells via carbohydrate-lectin recognition effects.

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Silk protein-based materials are promising biomaterials for application as tissue scaffolds, due to their processability, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. The preparation of films composed of an engineered spider silk protein (eADF4(C16)) and their functionalization with glycopolymers are described. The glycopolymers bind proteins found in the extracellular matrix, providing a biomimetic coating on the films that improves cell adhesion to the surfaces of engineered spider silk films. Such silk-based materials have potential as coatings for degradable implantable devices.

The synthesis and characterization of acetylglucosamine-displaying microspheres consisting of poly(divinylbenzene) (PDVB) cores onto which chains of linear and branched glycopolymer chains were grafted via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and self-condensing vinyl copolymerization (SCVCP), respectively, are reported. PDVB particles with a diameter of 1.5 μm exhibit a layer of lightly cross-linked PDVB in the periphery of the particle and therefore enable a "grafting through" approach due to the residual vinyl groups on the surface. The incorporation of the hydrophobic initiator-monomer (inimer) 2-(2-bromoisobutyryloxy)ethyl methacrylate (BIEM) led to compact and branched structures in the shell of the core-shell particles, whereas the ratio of BIEM to 1-methacryloyloxyethyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3,4,6-triacetylglucopyranoside (tetAcGlc) affected the surface coverage. Lectin-binding experiments indicated a strong affinity of wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), a glucosamine-specific lectin, toward the hyperbranched glycopolymer covered spheres, increasing with the degree of branching.