Polymer gel composition and uses therefor

A composition of matter which comprises a polymer gel comprising a thermally sensitive polymer matrix which comprises poly(n-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAM) or a derivative thereof and a hydrophilic polymer network interpenetrating said thermally sensitive polymer matrix, said hydrophilic polymer network comprising a protein, wherein a shrinking rate of said polymer gel is increased by a factor of up to 1000 in response to a change in temperature as compared to a shrinking rate of the thermally sensitive polymer matrix alone.

A thermally responsive biocompatible polymer gel composition, comprising:

• a thermosensitive polymer matrix comprising poly(n-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAAM) or a derivative thereof, wherein said matrix becomes more hydrophobic as the temperature is increased to a temperature equal to or above the shrinking temperature of the matrix;
• and
• an interpenetrating hydrophilic polymer network disposed within said thermosensitive polymer matrix, said hydrophilic polymer network comprising a protein interpenetrating the thermosensitive polymer matrix, wherein said thermally responsive biocompatible polymer gel composition has a shrinking rate that is increased by a factor of up to 1000 over a shrinking rate of the thermosensitive polymer matrix alone.

An interpenetrating polymer network gel composition comprising:

• a thermosensitive polymer network comprising poly(n-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAAM) or a derivative thereof, and
• a protein interpenetrating the thermosensitive polymer network, the PNIPAAM and the protein arranged with respect to each other so that at least one type of interaction develops between the PNIPAAM and the protein, the at least one type of interaction being sufficient to cause the composition to shrink at a rate of up to a 1000 times greater than a shrinking rate of the thermosensitive polymer network alone at a temperature above a shrinking temperature of the composition.