WHAT WE DO: The long term goal of our research efforts are to introduce new nanomedicines and nanodiagnostics into the clinic.  Success hinges on our ability to prepare these materials and evaluate the behavior of these tree-shaped polymers, so-called dendrimers, in collaboration with other research groups. 

Current areas of interest include chemotherapy, gene and siRNA delivery, anti-infectives, and contrast agents for diagnostic medical imaging.

In the Fall of 2010 after 12 great years at Texas A&M University, the lab has moved to Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. 

BIG NEWS (SCIENCE):  Studies are showing that our materials are showing cures of prostate cancer in disease models. 

Fall 2012 - The barrier to virus-sized, covalent molecules has been broken with a G13 triazine dendrimer with the formula (theoretically) of C376,812H737,240N114,682O98,298!  The work is a collaborative effort with Dr. Annunziata of TCU and coworkers from Finland, Switzerland and the Czech Republic who aided in the characterization.  The paper is due out in JACS in early 2013.

Spring 2012 - Direct comparisons to clinical standards of care are being advanced with collaborators J.T. Hsieh and X. Sun at UT Southwestern.

Spring 2012 - With J.T. Hsieh and X. Sun of UT Southwestern, we are pursuing strategies for combatting metastatic prostate cancer with nanomedicines by looking at a different therapeutic in studies now funded by the NIH.

Fall 2011 - Triazine dendrimers are now available up to generation 11 allowing us to join an elite group of materials.  Curious behaviors are observed, and synthetic routes are being refined to allow commercialization of these materials.

BIG NEWS (EDUCATION):  Mr. Cedric James joins us as a science outreach/commercialization specialist.

Spring 2012 - Six different IdeaFactory projects are being advanced with products in the classrooms by April with topics including chemistry, climate, health, scientific vocabulary, geometry, and DOC-2, which will be performed in April by 200 6th graders.

Fall 2011- “Dance of the Continents” was performed in the week of November 14th as the fruits of this cross-college undergraduate course. Approximately 80 8th graders performed for an audience of 1000! 

Spring 2011 - “Science and Commercialization” yielded a new tool for teaching plate tectonics, a patent, and a pending licensing offer for commercialization!  Check out the TCU IdeaFactory!

Fall 2010 - Introduction to Research (CHEM 50231) TCU undergrads completed a successful trip to New Orleans to present research and outreach at the ACS meeting. 50231”

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