Deborah Snyder, NIH Trainee 2019-2021
djsnyder@umass.edu
Graduate Program: Polymer Science and Engineering
Lab: Todd Emrick
Research Interests: A Sustainable Redesign of Polymer Zwitterions
Education: University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
Research Summary
Enzymes, used extensively in biochemistry for sensors and immuno/assays, are increasingly emerging in the preparation of hybrid materials, polymer conjugates, and hydrogels. Working in Todd Emrick’s laboratories, I envision synthesizing new enzyme complexes with functionalized, reactive polymer zwitterions to yield polymer-protein structures that can imitate biological processes. This includes the combination of enzymes with polymer zwitterions, which are advantageous as charge-neutral macromolecular materials notable for their interfacial activity and, in newly prepared versions, selective reactivity. Given the interdisciplinary nature of the research, I seek interdisciplinary collaborations across polymer chemistry, engineering and biology, so that expertise in each area can be utilized to generate innovative solutions in biomaterials and medicine.
