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Our research is centered around biopolymers (mostly mucin glycoproteins) with a focus on harnessing their properties for biomedical applications. Our experimental approach involves the purification of biological macromolecules and their reconstitution into solutions and hydrogels that serve as model systems for complex biological gels. With those model systems, we then study the permeability properties of hydrogel barriers and how they are compromised by, e.g., environmental pollutants ¹. Moreover, we use purified macromolecules to develop functional coatings on medical devices (e.g., contact lenses, catheters, endotracheal tubes) ^2,3 that reduce biofouling and tissue damage created by tribological stress. Finally, we develop materials for controlled drug delivery ^4-6. Here, we also make use of DNA nanotechnology to create responsive drug depots that release their cargo upon contact with physiological triggers, e.g., cellular micro-RNA. Our activities in the Munich Biofabrication network focus on this last research area: we engineer nano- and microparticles to encapsulate molecules and probiotics such that we achieve spatio-temporal control over their release.