[Jordan Hall, Room 5023] This seminar is hosted by Mark Kester. Dr. James Adair is a Professor of Material Science and Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, and Pharmacology as well as the Director of the Penn State Center on Nanomedicine and Materials at The Pennsylvania State University.
Underpinning our research are the concepts and principles embedded in colloidal and interfacial chemistry. Our objectives in student education at both the undergraduate and graduate level is to integrate a fundamental understanding of materials science with colloid and interfacial chemistry. There are currently two research thrusts in the Particulate Materials Center, both with an aim toward nanomedical applications. The underlying science for both technologies resides in our currently unique ability to colloidally manipulate and process nanoscale (sub-50nm) particulates for drug/bioimaging applications and producing bulk nanograin materials and devices with focus toward reducing the scale of surgical instruments to the sub-100 micron regime. To put the latter effort in perspective, a conventional heart biopsy instrument via catheterization has a scale of 5mm. The drug delivery systems consist of bioresorbable calcium phosphate, nanoporous silica or titania, or calcium phosphosilicate particulates into which medically active substances including drugs, genetic material, peptides, proteins, and fluorescent molecules have been captured. The 2 to 50 nm particulates have been suspended in suspension up to 20 weight percent with resistance to aggregation obtained for up to 36 months. We are utilizing the colloidal understanding of the nanocomposite particles for applications ranging from the delivery of medically active agents to the fabrication of nanograin components and devices. Typical grain sizes produced in our zirconia ceramics are 50 70 nanometers while some of the nanograin metals have grain sizes at the 20 to 40nm scale. Thus, our research directed toward nanocolloids is yielding benefits across a broad spectrum of medical applications.
Learn more: http://www.matse.psu.edu/directory/faculty/james-adair