Professor Mark Grinstaff Joins Chemistry Department
Professor Mark Grinstaff has accepted a newly created position at Boston University — a joint appointment between the Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Chemistry — funded by a Whitaker Foundation Leadership Award. The Whitaker Foundation’s mission is to promote better human health by supporting academic research in biomedical engineering. Professor Grinstaff’s highly interdisciplinary research is at the interface between chemistry and biomedical engineering.
It focuses on the design, synthesis, and evaluation of novel dendrimer polymers for tissue engineering and biotechnological applications. This new class of “biodendrimers” are comprised of building blocks that are biocompatible or degradable in vivo to natural metabolites. Specifically, Professor Grinstaff and his group are synthesizing and characterizing novel dendrimers composed of glycerol and succinic acid.
One of Grinstaff’s major research areas is the synthesis and characterization of dendritic polymer hydrogels. These hydrogels are being evaluated for several ophthalmic applications, including the repair of corneal lacerations. The use of a dendritic hydrogel eliminates the need for sutures and can immediately restore the integrity of the cornea, as well as decrease the risk of surgical complications. To date, Professor Grinstaff’s research group has successfully repaired 4 mm corneal perforations in vivo using these novel polymers.