Many of the most exciting, potentially revolutionary, medical treatments that are currently being developed depend on the in vivo implantation of synthetic materials e.g. stem cell induced tissue regeneration and time controlled drug delivery. The design and adaptation of materials for these applications is a deeply interdisciplinary area, requiring the combined expertise of chemists, biologists, engineers and physicians. The PI, Prof. Tara Meyer, a chemist with experience in organometallics and polymer synthesis, proposes to spend a year of sabbatical leave (6 months at MIT with Prof. Robert Langer and 6 months at the Univ. of Pittsburgh) to acquire the necessary background and collaborative experience so that she can begin a new research effort in the area of biomaterials synthesis.
Specific Aims : 1) To develop multiple collaborative interactions with Professor Robert Langer and his research group that exploits my expertise in metal catalysis and polymer synthesis. 2) To synthesize new polymeric materials from readily available lactide monomers that combines both the necessary mechanical properties and tissue interactions to perform as cardiovascular engineering scaffolds. 3) To synthesize biocompatible materials with mechanical and biodegradable properties that make them suitable use as components of microchip-based devices that have been designed to deliver drugs in complex dosage patterns. ? ?
