Would you believe that marine mussels and geckos are piquing the interest of
researchers in the field of biomaterials? They are, as their adhesive strategies in wet
and dry environments are inspiring the design and development of new functional
biomaterials for use in humans.
Phillip B. Messersmith, professor of biomedical engineering and materials science
engineering at Northwestern University and a member of the university's Institute
for Bionanotechnology in Medicine, will explore this phenomenon in nature and how
it influences biomaterials research in the next Stevenson Biomaterials Lecture,
sponsored by the Syracuse Biomaterials Institute, on Wednesday, Nov. 19.
Messersmith will speak on "Biological Adhesives and Biomimetic Polymers: Things
That Stick and Sticking to Things," in the Kilian Room, Room 500 of the Hall of
Languages. A meet-and-greet will begin at 11:45 a.m., with a luncheon to follow. The
lecture will begin at 1 p.m. Those who wish to attend are asked to R.S.V.P. to Karen
Low at 443-3544 or kplow@syr.edu by Nov. 12.
Marine mussels, Messersmith says, have evolved sophisticated protein glues that
securely immobilize the organism on rocks and man-made structures. The proteins
found in the glues have very specialized amino acid compositions that are
undoubtedly related to the particular challenges of achieving permanent adhesion in
the wet marine environment. Geckos, conversely, achieve temporary adhesion in dry
environments using rather ordinary keratin (hair) proteins, taking advantage of weak
transient chemical interactions with surfaces.
"I will focus on these two remarkable but contrasting adhesive strategies and
illustrate how they can inspire the development of novel synthetic functional
materials," Messersmith says.
Messersmith earned a bachelor's degree in life sciences and Ph.D. in materials science
and engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He was a
postdoctoral fellow at Cornell University and a faculty member at the University of
Illinois at Chicago before joining the Northwestern faculty. His awards and honors
include young investigator awards from the Whitaker Foundation and the National
Institutes of Health, and a MERIT Award from the NIH. He is a fellow of the
American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering.
The Stevenson Biomaterials Lecture Series, made possible through the support of Ann
McOmber Stevenson '52 and SU Trustee Emeritus Milton F. Stevenson III '53, brings
pioneering biomaterials researchers to the SU campus each semester. Presenters are
selected based on their leading roles in research in biomaterials-natural and
synthetic substances designed to treat, augment or replace tissues and organs of the
human body as treatments to disease or injury. In addition, Stevenson Lecturers visit
with faculty and students to exchange ideas, build bridges and become familiar with
the broad range of biomaterials research at Syracuse University. For more
information, visit the Syracuse Biomaterials Institute website at
http://www.biomaterials.syr.edu.
