Patent ID: 8124583

Claim:
A method of making a mineralized nanofiber composition for regenerating damaged bone or tooth in a mammal comprising preparing a first solution comprising at least one peptide amphiphile comprising a C 6 or greater hydrocarbon component at its N-terminus and a lyophilic peptide component; preparing a second solution comprising at least one mineral salt; mixing the first and second solutions to form the mineralized nanofiber composition wherein the mixture of peptide amphiphile and the mineral salt causes the self-assembly of the peptide amphiphiles into nanofibers and/or a nanofiber gel in the composition, and wherein the nanofibers and/or nanofiber gel are mineralized along the nanofiber surfaces to form the mineralized nanofibers and/or mineralized nanofiber gel sufficient to regenerate the damaged bone or tooth; and contacting the damaged bone or tooth teeth with the mineralized nanofiber composition.