ChEMS Seminar: Molecular Understanding, Design and Development of Ultra Low Fouling Zwitterionic-based Functional Materials

An important challenge in many applications, ranging from biomedical devices to ship hulls, is the prevention of nonspecific biomolecular and microorganism attachment on surfaces. For example, nonspecific protein adsorption degrades the performance of surface-based diagnostic devices and causes an adverse effect on the healing process around implanted biomaterials. To address this challenge, our goals are twofold. First, we strive to provide a fundamental understanding of nonfouling mechanisms at the molecular level using an integrated experimental and simulation approach. Second, we aim to develop biocompatible and environmentally benign ultra low fouling materials based on the molecular principles we have learned. Over the last several years, we have demonstrated that zwitterionic and mixed charge materials and surfaces are highly resistant to nonspecific protein adsorption, cell adhesion and bacteria adhesion/biofilm formation from complex media. Both simulation and experimental results show that the strong hydration of zwitterionic materials is responsible for their excellent nonfouling properties. Recent results show that zwitterionic materials induce no capsule formation upon implantation and no immunological response in blood circulation and are able to preserve protein bioactivity as well. At present, zwitterionic materials, as alternatives to poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based materials, have been applied to a number of applications, including implantable medical devices, early cancer diagnostics, drug/gene delivery, antimicrobial coatings, and marine coatings.

 

Bio: Professor Jiang received his Ph.D. degree in chemical engineering from Cornell University with Prof. Keith E. Gubbins in 1993. He was a postdoctoral fellow at UC Berkeley with Prof. Kenneth S. Pitzer between 1993 and 1994 and a research fellow at Caltech with Prof. William A. Goddard, III between 1994 and 1996 both in chemistry. He is currently the Boeing-Roundhill Professor of Chemical Engineering and Adjunct Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Washington, Seattle. He is a senior editor for Langmuir, a fellow of American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) and a member of the Washington Academy of Sciences. His research focuses on biomolecular interfaces, biomaterials, and biosensors, particularly molecular understanding, design and development of zwitterionic-based functional materials for biomedical and engineering applications.