Research Interest: Biomaterials
| Name | PhD Program | Research Interest | Publications |
|---|---|---|
| Polacheck, William WEBSITE PUBLICATIONS |
PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST |
The Polacheck Lab develops microfluidic and organ-on-chip technology for disease modeling and regenerative medicine. Our efforts are organized around three primary research thrusts: 1) Developing humanized microphysiological models for inherited and genetic disorders; 2) Defining the role of biofluid mechanics and hemodynamics on the cellular microenvironment; 3) Understanding the role of cell-cell adhesion in the generation and propagation of cellular forces during morphogenesis. We further work to translate the technology and techniques developed in our lab into tissue engineered therapies for organ replacement and regenerative medicine. |
| Knight, Abigail WEBSITE PUBLICATIONS |
PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST |
The Knight group focuses on designing novel macromolecular materials with functions inspired by biological systems. These materials will generate platforms of new biomimetic polymeric architectures addressing growing concerns in treating, diagnosing, and preventing human disease. This research bridges the fields of chemical biology and polymer chemistry using characterization and synthetic tools including polymer and solid-phase synthesis and nanomaterial characterization. Specific project areas include: (1) developing a new class of peptide-polymer amphiphiles inspired by metalloproteins, (2) designing well-defined polymer bioconjugates for biosensing, and (3) evolving functional biomimetic polymers. |
| Hingtgen, Shawn WEBSITE PUBLICATIONS |
PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST |
Imagine a naturally intelligent therapy that can seek out and destroy cancer cells like no other available treatment. In the Hingtgen Lab, we are harnessing Nobel Prize-winning advancements to create a new type of anti-cancer treatment: personalized stem cell-based therapies. We use a patient’s own skin sample and morph it into cells that chase down and kill cancer. We take advantage of a little-known aspect of stem cells- they can home in on cancer by picking up a signal through receptors on the cell surface. All the while, the therapeutic stem cells are pumping out potent anti-cancer drugs that selectively kill any cancer cell nearby while leaving the healthy brain unharmed. Our initial studies focused on aggressive brain cancers, however we quickly expanded our testing to a variety of cancer types. Working at the interface of basic science and human patient testing, our ultimate goal is to translate this novel approach into the clinical setting where it can re-define treatment for cancers that currently have no effective treatment options. |
| Legant, Wesley R. WEBSITE PUBLICATIONS |
PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST |
Life is animate and three-dimensional. Our lab develops tools to better understand living specimens at single molecule, cellular, and tissue level length scales. Our current efforts comprise three synergistic research areas: 1) development and application of novel fluorescent imaging modalities including: super resolution, light sheet, and adaptive optical microscopy 2) investigation of how mechanical forces and cytoskeletal dynamics drive cancer cell migration through complex three-dimensional environments, and 3) generation of microfabricated platforms to precisely control the cellular microenvironment for tissue engineering and drug screening. |
| Forest, Greg WEBSITE PUBLICATIONS |
PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST |
Research interests include: transport processes in the lung, flow and structure of nano-materials & macromolecular fluids, weakly compressible transport phenomena, solitons and optical fiber applications, inverse problems for material characterization and modeling of transport in multiphase porous media. |
| DeSimone, Joseph M. WEBSITE PUBLICATIONS |
PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST |
The direct fabrication and harvesting of monodisperse, shape-specific nano-biomaterials are presently being designed to reach new understandings and therapies in cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Students interested in a rotation in the DeSimone group should not contact Dr. DeSimone directly. Instead please contact Chris Luft at jluft@email.unc.edu. |
| Lai, Samuel WEBSITE PUBLICATIONS |
PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST |
Our dynamic group are broadly involve in three topics: (i) prevention of infectious diseases by harnessing interactions between secreted antibodies and mucus, (ii) immune response to biomaterials, and (iii) targeted delivery of nanomedicine. Our group was the first to discover that secreted antibodies can interact with mucins to trap pathogens in mucus. We are now harnessing this approach to engineer improved passive and active immuniation (i.e. vaccines) at mucosal surfaces, as well as understand their interplay with the mucosal microbiome. We are also studying the adaptive immune response to polymers, including anti-PEG antibodies, and how it might impact the efficacy of PEGylated therapeutics. Lastly, we are engineering fusion proteins that can guide targeted delivery of nanomedicine to heterogenous tumors and enable personalized medicine. |
| MacDonald, Jeffrey WEBSITE PUBLICATIONS |
PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST |
Dr. Macdonald is the Founder and Scientific Director of the new Metabolomic Facility and Co-Scientific Director of the joint UNC/NCSU/NOAA Marine MRI facility at Pivers Island near Beaufort NC. Dr. Macdonald’s research goal is to combine metabolomics and tissue engineering and apply these tools to quantitative biosystem analysis. |
| Ainslie, Kristy M. WEBSITE PUBLICATIONS |
PHD PROGRAM RESEARCH INTEREST |
We have several areas of research interest broadly in the area of immunomodulation using micro/nanoparticles and other carrier systems. This can include development of traditional vaccines, therapeutic autoimmune vaccines and classic drug delivery platforms targeted to bacterial, viral or parasitic host cells. To this end, we also seek to develop new materials and platforms optimal for use in modulating immune responses as well as developing scalable production of micro/nanoparticles. |