Prof. Surya Mallapragada's Talk

Sep 05, 2013 - 16:00

Sep 05, 2013 - 17:00

Lecture Hall Complex LCH 32

Seminars

Prof. Surya Mallapragada Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Stanley Endowed Chair of Interdisciplinary Engineering Iowa State University

Abstract: We have synthesized a family of novel self-assembling pH and temperature sensitive multiblock cationic and anionic copolymers with a variety of nanoarchitectures. The copolymers exhibit pH sensitivity and thermoreversible gelation at physiological temperatures. The cationic multiblock copolymers exhibit complexation with DNA and serve as excellent gene therapy vectors for cancer therapies. Our studies have shown that these polymeric vectors show sustained gene delivery and selective transfection in cancer cells versus non-cancer cells. Detailed mechanistic studies have shown that the selectivity arises due to intracellular differences in pH between cancer and normal cells. The anionic multiblock copolymers and their micelles also serve as excellent templates for biomineralization. These hierarchically self-assembling copolymers in conjunction with mineralization proteins/peptides form bioinspired self-assembled nanocomposites including magnetic nanocomposites. The novel injectable insitu-forming nanocomposites show mechanical properties similar to that of native cartilage and are being investigated for cartilage rescue to prevent post-traumatic osteo-arthritis.About the Speaker: Surya Mallapragada is currently Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Stanley Endowed Chair of Interdisciplinary Engineering at Iowa State University. She received her chemical engineering education from IIT Bombay (B.Tech 1993) and Purdue University (Ph.D. 1996). She has courtesy appointments in the Materials Science and Engineering and Neuroscience programs at ISU. She is also a Senior Scientist and has served as Program Director of Materials Chemistry and Biomolecular Materials at Ames Laboratory a US Department of Energy Laboratory. Her research interests are in the area of polymeric nanobiomaterials specifically in drug/gene delivery and neural tissue engineering and in the area of bioinspired materials. Her work has been recognized by several awards including a National Science Foundation Career award a 3M Non-tenured faculty award Iowa State University Foundation Early as well as Mid-Career Excellence in Research awards a Big 12 Rising Star Award and a IIT Bombay Young Alumni Achievement Award. She was named one of the top 100 young innovators by MIT’s Technology Review magazine and is an elected Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She has also received an American Institute of Chemical Engineers Food Pharmaceutical and Bioengineering Division’s Distinguished Service Award.