The overarching theme of the PI?s research program is to capture the essential design features of naturally occurring biological materials in order to rationally design and precisely tune the structure and properties of novel man-made materials, a process known as ?biomimicry?. In particular, this project is designed to enable human control over the interaction between plastics and harmful bacteria ? towards the creation of surface coatings that kill germs on contact and prevent the accumulation of biological sludge on surfaces. The new materials created in this work are important candidates for a broad range of practical applications, including self-cleaning ship hull coatings to reduce drag, pipe-flow inner linings to prevent biologically-induced corrosion, and urinary catheter devices that can prevent device-associated infections in the hospital setting. Undergraduate and graduate students will be trained in a highly multidisciplinary environment encompassing synthetic polymer chemistry, biophysics, and materials science. In order to broaden participation in STEM disciplines, this project encompasses a strong education and outreach component at the K-12 level with an emphasis on under-represented students. The PI has created a program for middle school and high school students to visit campus, learn concepts in biology and materials science, and to share their knowledge with friends and family using their favorite social media outlets.
Biofilm formation on surfaces in aqueous environments remains a notoriously intractable problem with dramatically negative implications across a broad range of sectors, from ship hull coatings to indwelling biomedical devices. In this project, the PI and his team will develop self-immolative polymer coatings that exert on-contact bactericidal activity and undergo triggered depolymerization specifically in response to enzymatic activity expressed extracellularly within the biofilm matrix. The students will synthesize functionalized poly(benzyl ether)s containing bactericidal cationic side chains and enzyme-labile end groups. Surfaces coatings composed of these new materials will be screened for bactericidal activity, toxicity to human cells, and their degradation response to a range of biofilm-associated enzymatic stimuli. In the final stage, surface coatings will be evaluated for their effectiveness in prevented biofilm formation both in the laboratory-grown and environmental settings. Students will be trained in a highly multidisciplinary environment encompassing synthetic polymer chemistry, biophysics, and materials science. They will pave the way for new avenues in biomimetic materials science, deepen our understanding of the materials-microbe interface, and generate prototype technologies of enormous commercial and industrial importance. The research dovetails with educational outreach activities that will broaden participation from female and minority students at the middle school and high school levels, fostering passion for science and communication of science to the general public.
