Researchers at Rice University, working with scientists from Kyoto University, have developed a new approach for improving the controlled delivery of therapeutic peptides using gelatin-based materials.

Therapeutic peptides can promote bone growth, blood vessel formation and tissue repair, but their small size often causes them to diffuse quickly from hydrogels, making sustained treatment difficult. To address this challenge, the researchers modified the electrical charge of osteogenic growth peptide (OGP), a peptide associated with bone formation, and incorporated it into gelatin microparticles.

The study, published in Cell Biomaterials, found that positively charged modifications strengthened the interaction between the peptide and gelatin, reducing the initial burst of release and allowing the peptide to be released gradually for 14–21 days under tissue-mimicking conditions.

The researchers also found that modifying the peptide itself had a stronger effect on its retention and release than adding additional charged groups to the gelatin carrier. Importantly, the modifications did not significantly affect the swelling or degradation of the gelatin microparticles.

The findings suggest that adjusting peptide charge could provide a simple and flexible way to control therapeutic release without permanently binding the peptide to its carrier. The strategy could potentially be applied to regenerative medicine and drug-delivery systems targeting bone repair, blood vessel growth and tissue regeneration.

Source: https://news.rice.edu/news/2026/rice-researchers-use-electrical-charge-improve-controlled-peptide-delivery