Table 1. Enriched cancer hallmark gene signature in breast cancer cells grown with supplemented aqueous EGF, HP-B hydrogel and HP-B hydrogel with solid-phase EGF compared to control. Pathways are significantly (*p < 0.05, **p < 0.005, ***p < 0.0005) altered with and without solid-phase GF presentation.

Hallmark pathways	EGF (aq)	HP-B hydrogel	HP-B hydrogel + EGF (s)
PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling	Upregulated	Downregulated*	Downregulated*
Wnt beta-catenin signaling	Downregulated	Upregulated*	Upregulated
TNFA signaling pathway via NF-κB	Downregulated**	Upregulated	Downregulated**
IL-2 STAT5 signaling	Downregulated	Downregulated***	Downregulated***
TGF-beta	Downregulated	Upregulated	Upregulated
Apoptosis	Downregulated**	Downregulated***	Downregulated***
Oxidative phosphorylation	Upregulated***	Downregulated***	Downregulated***