Effects of clinical doses of radiation on the viscoelastic properties of hydrogels

For 3D tissue engineering and related biomedical studies, hydrogels can be used to replicate the extracellular matrix (ECM) and create an environment conducive to cell growth. The rheological properties of these biomimetic and biocompatible hydrogels can influence cell viability and can be tuned to mimic particular tissues. Here, we investigate how ionizing radiation affects the rheological properties of hydrogels. A better understanding of radiation's influence on the material properties of hydrogels, both with and without embedded cells, can lead to improvements in studies of cancer therapies. We create hydrogels with alginate and gelatin. After exposure to various doses of ionizing radiation, we measure the viscous and elastic moduli using a rheometer. We observe that with increasing doses of radiation, the elastic modulus decreases. Through frequency and amplitude sweeps we also quantify yield stresses. We aim to also investigate how these rheological properties change when cells are embedded in the hydrogels. Our study provides a quantitative analysis of how radiation alters hydrogel materials, offering potential applications for 3D cancer research models.