On June 10th, Ms. Vaishnavi Saboo presented her final report on the results of her three-month internship in our group, on the topic “Molecular Patterns and Interactions in Bioinspired Hydrogels: From Mucus Mimics to Stem Cell Niches – An EPR Spectroscopy Approach.”

She investigated two different synthetic hydrogels used in biomedical applications. First, she successfully advanced the methodology for studying the dynamic processes that occur during hydrogel gelation. Second, she demonstrated a possibility for delivering drugs to cells embedded within the hydrogel environment. Finally, she established a correlation between the solution viscosity and the spectral features of a newly developed ¹³C label.

She faced the formidable challenge of a pioneer tackling a topic entirely new to the group, yet she showed remarkable perseverance and resilience, enabling her to uncover the first intriguing patterns that will undoubtedly pave the way for significant breakthroughs in our understanding of hydrogel physics.