San Diego, California, United States
Goal-driven scientist with expertise in design, synthesis, and application of polymeric materials to understand and manipulate biological processes through functionalization of bioconjugates including glycosaminoglycans, proteins, fluorophores, and bio-inspired synthetic polymer scaffolds.
• Designed and synthesized a library of novel glycopolymers using anionic polymerization of epoxides followed by end-group and glycan functionalization through copper click chemistry. • Spearheaded development of a novel approach to study cell surface interactions by augmenting the native glycocalyx with biochemically inert glycopolymers. The resulting protective shield around the cell can serve as a tool for understanding and manipulating cellular interactions with the extracellular environment. • Discovered a novel role of inert surface anchored glycopolymers in restricting pathogen and protein binding to cell surfaces. This finding may inform development of future therapeutics targeting early stages of infection by pathogens. • Generated macromolecular biomaterials composed of lysosome-directing glycopolymers conjugated to native glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) through copper mediated “click” chemistry to sequester and degrade growth factors in mixed cell culture. • Worked collaboratively to develop chemistries for the direct modification of GAGs through amide coupling at their carboxylic acid moieties to append chemical probes for monitoring de-sulfation activity by cellular sulfatases. • Lead an interdisciplinary group of graduate students engineering polyacrylamide hydrogels and cell surface structures to control the differentiation fate of stem cells in the absence of exogenous growth factors. • Assisted in development of DNA-glycopolymer conjugates to enable quantification of the glycan binding properties of cells through DNA barcoding.
As a member of a small research and development group, developed processes relating to generation and commercialization of polymeric materials. Projects include the development of alternative “green” catalysis, endgroup functionalization of polymers for post-processing crosslinking, and investigation of new polymer architectures for enhanced functional properties.
As an undergraduate researcher, contributed to two main projects. 1.) worked toward further development of a methodology discovered by the Taylor group called Electrophile Induced Ether Transfer. Upon discovery of an unexpected preference for an elimination reaction over the expected substitution, I optimized the reaction to develop the methodology for use in future total synthesis work. 2.) Assisted in the total synthesis of Rhoiptelol B, a diaryheptanoid containing a tetrahydropyran ring that has been investigated for its activity against LPS-induced NF-kB activation, NO and TNF-α production and HIF-1 in AGS cells.