People in Research

M. Jeanette Stein

Advisor: Buddy Ratner

Department/status: Post-qualifying exam, PhB

Project overview:
This project addresses the creation of a surface coating that will reduce, or eliminate, protein adsorption in the body. It supports the strategic plan of engineering biomaterials that can control reactions in the body and reduce adverse events experienced as a result of their use.

Project details:
Adverse reactions to foreign prosthetic device surfaces mediated by blood components, such as proteins or cells, are the primary factors that restrict the extended use of virtually all medical implants and biosensors. Catheter infection and thrombosis cause thousands of deaths each year. In implanted vascular stents, restenosis can occur in 25% to 30% of patients within 6 months leading to painful repeat surgeries and putting an unnecessary burden on our health care system. In implantable sensors, thrombosis, protein and collagen accumulation about the sensing components causes them to become increasingly inaccurate the longer they are implanted. While work in biomaterials technology has come far in improving the biological interactions with these materials, an ideal biological-material interface has not been found. One of the difficulties has been that there is not a unified theory as to which surface-properties will yield optimal material interfaces. Our lab is currently! working on a study of multiple surface modifications, both novel and previously-reported, that would serve to cover a wide range of the current theories reported in the field in an attempt to provide a unified theory on the optimal surface modifications for selective protein adsorption and stealth surfaces.

Skills:
Surface Analysis Techniques: XPS, Tof-Sims, Sum Frequency Generation Spectroscopy, and contact angle.
Computing Skills: Chem Draw, Matlab and Excel Programming, data fitting, and modeling.
Lab skills: Thiol fabrication, surface design, radio-labeled protein adsorption, and SPR protein adsorption.

Relevant honors or funding:
NSF Fellowship (2003 Recipient)