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Abstract
The aim of this work is to synthesize surface-tethered polymer chains with different functionalities and properties to address some of the challenging questions the biomedical field currently faces. In particular, we have successfully synthesized densely grafted polymer brush-coated silicon wafers by the grafting to approach and investigating their antifouling properties. Next, the design and synthesis of a patterned responsive mixed polymer brush platform for bond control between cells and the peptide RGD is discussed. The latter platform was applied to detect rare cancer cells from mouse blood and demonstrated efficient isolation and high recovery of target cells. Finally, we have developed a stimuli responsive platform useful for targeted drug delivery that can be remotely controlled with a magnetic field. Intermediate and final products in the research projects here mentioned have been investigated using atomic force microscopy, ellipsometry, fluorescence spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, nuclear magnetic resonance, FTIR and mass spectrometry.