Research
Blood and Protein Interactions with Slippery Surfaces
The interactions of proteins with interfaces is fundamental to many questions in biology and medicine. In particular, the tendency of blood to coagulate on nearly every type of surface external to the body creates a number of problems in dialysis, surgery, and other areas which have yet to be solved. Recent work has shown that immobilized liquid layers can drastically reduce thrombus formation, even in vivo. We are working to further understand the basis of this as well as apply it both to coagulation on complex surfaces as well as protein adhesion control in general.
For more information, check out these publications:
Cell-Sheet Release Surfaces
Tissue engineering is an important and versatile tool in the biomedical field. However, more tools to control the growth of an manipulate cells are needed as researchers work to create ever more complex cellular constructs or understand cellular functioning on a deeper level. To that end, we have developed a new surface for the growth and release of cells as intact sheets. We are currently working to refine this method and apply it to a variety of cell types.
For more information, check out these publications:
Controlled Bacterial Attachment
Bacteria are omnipresent in our lives, providing great benefits as our internal symbiotes as well as numerous problems as infectious agents and biofilm formers. For many relevant species, the interaction of bacteria with surfaces is one fundamental aspect of their ability to grow and function. We seek new ways of controlling bacterial attachment and growth through the creative use of surfaces.
For more information, check out these publications:
Fouling in Anaerobic Membrane Bioreactors
Membrane biofouling is a problem that affects nearly all applications that require the separate of water from biological components. In our group, we are working to mitigate this problem through the immobilization of liquid layers onto membranes, in an effort to reduce bacterial adhesion and pore blockage.
For more information, check out these publications:
Group members working on this project:
Dan Regan, Danika Evangelista, Liza White
Fundamentals of Immobilized Liquid Layers
Understanding the basic physics and chemistry behind immobilized liquid layer is essential to ultimately understanding how they will interact with biological systems. Using a combination of spectroscopic , chromatographic, and visualization techniques, we work to understand how relevant perturbations affect the integrity and functioning of these materials. We also examine how these fundamentals can be applied to create a novel approach to antifouling.
For more information, check out these reviews:
And these publications:
Vascularized Self-Replenishing Surfaces
Nature has developed ways to keep the surfaces of animals and plants functioning and contamination-free. Inspired by this concept, we have devised methods to incorporate vascular systems into infused polymers to give them self-replenishing properties. Using 3D printing, we explore the effects of vascularization on self-replenishment and adapt these systems for use across a wide variety of applications in industry and medicine.
For more information, check out these publications:
