I have read some literature saying PEGDA is a nontoxic biocompatible hydrogel. Therefore, I tried to grow Coprinopsis cinerea on a PEGDA (DMPA) hydrogel.

I first made hydrogel with water solution and wash it with ethanol to get rid of residuals.

Afterwards, I dried them and then soaked them in the YMG water solution.

After they swelled and absorbed the YMG(glucose, yeast extract, malt extract). I inoculated them with Coprinopsis cinerea. The control was just YMG solution (I did not add agar).

The fungi grow really well in the control but not on the hydrogel. Any ideas?