The-interactions.of cells with the surface of materials is known to be influenced by a range of factors that include chemistry and toughness; however, it is often difficult to probe these factors individually without also changing the others. Here we iriVestigate the role: of roughness on cell,adhesion while maintaining the same-underlying chemistry. This was achieved by using a polymerization in mold technique to prepare poly(hydroxyinethyl methacrylate) hydrogels with either a flat topography or a topography that replicated the microscale features of lotus leaves. These materials were then assessed for cell adhesion, and atomic force microscopy and contact angle analysis were then used to probe the physical reasons for the differing behavior in relation to cell adhesion.