We are pleased to highlight a recent publication by Dr. Nikolaos Pipis in Biomaterials Advances (Elsevier), titled “Injectable aptamer-functionalized nucleic acid–collagen hydrogels as a bioactive platform for angiogenic applications.” This work represents the culmination of Dr. Pipis’s doctoral research at the University of Florida and presents the first in vivo study of nucleic acid-collagen complexes (NACCs) for targeted angiogenesis. The study demonstrates that aptamer-functionalized hydrogels can support site-specific vascularization via sustained VEGFR-2 signaling while maintaining histocompatibility in a murine subcutaneous model.
The UF Molecular Pathology Core (MPC) played a key role in supporting this work through histological processing and imaging, and we are proud to be acknowledged in this impactful publication. Special thanks to Dr. Dongtao Ann Fu for her support and expertise. The work can be accessed here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bioadv.2025.214580