Uhrich, Kathryn

Position:

Professor and Dean of Math and Physical Sciences

	Phone:	732-445-0361
	E-mail:
	FAX:	732-445-7036
	Lab:	732-445-5630 (WRL-271)
	Office:	Wright Rieman Labs 311
	Mail:	Chemistry & Chemical Biology, 610 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854

Education	Links
B.S. 1986, University of North Dakota (Grand Forks, ND) Ph.D. 1992, Cornell University (Ithaca, NY) Postdoctoral Research Fellow 1992, Bell Laboratories Postdoctoral Research Fellow 1993-95, MIT	IGERT Graduate Fellowship Program Women in Science, Engineering, and Mathematics (RU) Institute for Advanced Materials, Devices and Nanotechnology The New Jersey Center for Biomaterials The Uhrich Group

Research Summary

The focus in my laboratory is on the synthesis and characterization of biocompatible polymers for medical and dental applications such as drug delivery and tissue engineering. Our polymers are designed to be degradable as well as biocompatible.

Polymeric Micelles

Polymeric micelles are nanocarriers that water-solubilize hydrophobic drug molecules yet can also be bioactive by themselves. These polymers were designed with a branched, hydrophobic interior (core) and hydrophilic exterior (shell) to maintain physical properties characteristic of conventional micelles, but with enhanced thermodynamic stability.

Two general classes of nanoscale polymeric micelles are under investigation: amphiphilic starlike macromolecules (ASMs) and amphiphilic scorpion-like macromolecules (AScMs). These two systems are chemically similar, but structurally different. ASMs behave as unimolecular micelles, whereas AScMs must first aggregate to form micellar structures.

Micropatterns

Micropatterns of protein on biocompatible polymeric substrates can mimic cues to promote neuron growth. While both physical and chemical cues direct regrowth in vivo, these cues are not always enough to bridge the gap caused by injury and restore function to the nerve (target). Currently, we are developing alternate patterning methods to generate nanoscale features and protein gradients, as well as creating synthetic nerve guidance conduits.

PolymerDrugs

such as PolyAspirin are novel polyanhydrides that hydrolytically degrade into salicylic acid (or related drug molecules), which can locally reduce post-operative inflammation and pain. In addition to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), several other drug classes are investigated, including antiseptics, antiproliferatives, and antibiotics. We are evaluating food-based bioactives to control bacteria in packaging.

Awards & Honors

Finalist, Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists, New York Academy of Sciences, 2007
ACS Buck-Whitney Award, 2005
Outstanding Scientist - New Jersey Association for Biomedical Research, 2004
Thomas Alva Edison Patent Award: Medical/Technology Transfer - New Jersey R&D Council, 2003
Fellow, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, 2003

Publications

Polymeric Micelles
Wang, J; Plourde, NM; Iverson, N; Moghe, PV and Uhrich, KE “Nanoscale Amphiphilic Macromolecules as Lipoprotein Inhibitors: The role of charge and architecture”, Intern. J. Nanomedicine, 2 (4) 697-705 (2007). [invited]

Djordjevic, J; del Rosario, L; Wang, J; Uhrich, KE “Amphiphilic Scorpion-like Macromolecules as Micellar Nanocarriers for Nuclear Delivery”, J. Bioactive Comp. Polym., in press.

Steege, KE; Wang, J; Uhrich, KE and Castner, EW “Local polarity and microviscosity in the hydrophobic cores of amphiphilic star-like macromolecules and amphiphilic scorpion-like macromolecules”, Macromolecules, 40 3739-3748 (2007).

Micropatterns
Song, MJ and Uhrich, KE “Optimal micropattern dimensions to enhance neurite outgrowth rates, lengths and orientations”, Ann. Biomed. Eng., 35(10) 1812-1820 (2007).

Langowski, BA and Uhrich, KE “Microscale Plasma Initiated Patterning (mPIP)”, Langmuir, 21, 10509-10514 (2005).

PolymerDrugs
Schmeltzer, R; Johnson, J; Griffin, J; and Uhrich, KE "Comparison of salicylate-based poly(anhydride-esters) formed via melt condensation vs. solution polymerization”, J. Biomater. Sci. Polymer Ed., 1, 1-12 (2008). [invited]

Carbone, AL, Song, MJ and Uhrich, KE “Iodinated salicylate-based poly(anhydride-esters) as radiopaque biomaterials”, Biomacromolecules, 9 (6), 1604-1612, 2008.

Rosenberg, LE; Carbone, AL; Römling, U; Uhrich, KE and Chikindas, ML “Salicylic acid-based poly(anhydride-esters) for control of biofilm formation in Salmonella enterica serover Typhimurium”, Lett. Appl. Microbiology, 46, 593-599 (2008).

Press
“Iodinated Polymers Visible to X-rays”, Chemical & Engineering News, May 26, 2008; pp. 37-38.

“Edible Films With Superpowers”, New York Times, August 29, 2007; pp. F1-F5.

“Delivery, detection and development in nanomedicine”, Nanomedicine 1 (4) 487-489 (2006).

Research Areas:

Materials Chemistry