His
thesis research focuses on using configurational
biomimetic polymers and hydrogels for applications
in imaging and cancer treatment. The objectives
of his research are broadly summarized by the
following goals:
- to gain a fundamental understanding of biomimetic
imprinting processes as methods of preparation
of unique micro- and nanoparticles for recognition,
imaging, detoxification and release; and
- to create biomimetic molecularly imprinted
polymer gels for various biologically active
molecules and incorporate them as recognition
elements in novel analyte-controlled devices.
The specific aims include:
- the synthesis of novel imprinted polymer
gel structures with specific recognition properties
for biologically relevant analytes;
- quantitatively characterization and mathematical
modeling of equilibrium and kinetic binding
behavior of our novel imprinted polymers;
- three-dimensional imaging and analysis studies
of micro-imprinted polymers using fluorescent
imprint analogue molecules, which will characterize
binding regimes for a given analyte, determine
effective crosslinking structure and polymer
morphology, and lead to efficient imprinting
design and optimization;
- identification of the molecular structure
and homogeneity of the imprinted gels by use
of spectroscopic techniques;
- fundamental studies of the monomer chain
flexibility and size, the number of monomer
functional groups, and the chemical reactivity
and solvent interaction parameter of the functional
groups on the specific recognition event needed
to produce a spatially defined recognition site;
- investigation of the incorporation of biomimetic
polymer gels as recognition elements in novel
controlled release devices; and
- in vitro investigation of drug or protein
modulated delivery of intelligent polymer networks
with a molecularly imprinted polymer as a recognition
element.
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