"Design, Synthesis and Evaluation of Surgical Biomaterials and Vaccine Adjuvant Systems"

David A. Putnam, PhD - Associate Professor, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University

The Putnam laboratory’s research interests focus on the application of chemical, biological and engineering principles to solve problems in medicine, particularly drug delivery. We focus our efforts in three areas. First, we work to synthesize new biomaterials derived from structures represented in natural human metabolic pathways, and attempt to understand how their molecular compositions mechanistically impart functionality to the biomaterials. Second, we work to engineer new ways to entice bacteria to express, correctly fold and stabilize non-native proteins, particularly for the formulation and delivery of antigenic sequences for vaccines. Third, we work to understand how the molecular composition and architecture of water-soluble polymers collectively function to transfer nucleic acids (i.e., plasmid DNA, siRNA, microRNA) from the bloodstream to cells. This seminar will encompass two areas, showing our current work in the design and synthesis of surgical biomaterials for the treatment of postoperative seroma, and in the engineering of E. coli to enhance the immunogenicity of poorly antigenic proteins.

Host: Michelle Dawson, PhD

The Bioengineering Seminar Series is a joint seminar series between IBB and the BME department. Seminars are held on Tuesdays or Thursdays between 11am-12pm in IBB room 1128 unless otherwise indicated.