 Sarah Wojtas, 2nd YearProgram: Chemistry Advisor: Sankaran Thayumanavan Education: Saint Anselm College, Manchester, NH Bachelor of Arts, Chemistry (May 2012) American Chemical Society Certificate (May 2012) |
Publications
Donais, M.K.; George, D.; Duncan, B.; Wojtas, S.M.; Daigle, A.M.
Evaluation of data processing and analysis approaches for fresco pigment studies by portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and portable Raman spectroscopy. Anal. Methods [Online] 2011, 3, 1061-1071.
Donais, M.K.; Wojtas, S.; Desmond, A; Duncan, B; George, D.
Differentiation of Hypocaust and Floor Tiles at Coriglia, Castel Viscardo (Umbria, Italy) Using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Portable X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) Spectrometry. Appl. Spectroscopy [Online] 2012, 66(9), 1005-1012.
Research Summary
Biomimetic Amphiphilic Polymer Assemblies
Nature has engineered responsive systems by building supramolecular networks that rely on dynamic, non- equilibrium structures for the propagation of biochemical information. Design strategies for the development of synthetic molecular networks like these is primitive and the lack of strategies for bridging time and length scales have further slowed the development of artificial systems.
Previously, our group has developed amphiphilic systems which disassemble upon an enzymatic stimuli or the presence of multiple stimuli. To further extend this system, the use of amphiphilic block copolymer-based assemblies that form vesicles and are disrupted by a specific cue would be ideal for a variety of applications. The proposed strategies are biomimetic in nature and have potential use in a variety of biomedical applications, especially in sensing and delivery. Our primary
objective here is to develop the molecular design rules. Once developed,
these assemblies and their synthetic derivatives may be utilized in both
non-biological and biological systems.