An Pham

 About An

• Advisor: Andrea Carlini
• Department: Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Campus: UCSB
• BioPACIFIC MIP Research: SET 3 - Functional Biomimics

 What is your research focus?

My proposal aims to develop a revolutionary hydrogel that can be applied as a paintable coating on biological tissue, replicating the body’s sensors for both acute and chronic inflammation. Central to this innovation is the creation of injectable nanoparticles through ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). These nanoparticles will incorporate nitrile imine-mediated tetrazole-ene cycloaddition (NITEC) for visualizing tissue inflammation. Key components of the paintable hydrogel include:

• An optical feedback mechanism utilizing a norbornene tetrazole-based monomer with fluorescent properties, responsive to peroxynitrite, a reactive oxygen species (ROS) and localized biochemical marker for oxidative stress found in diseases like heart failure, organ rejection, cancer, and infections.
• A tri-block copolymer structure comprising the responsive NITEC-active moiety, a water-soluble biocompatible block, and an innovative block for enhancing conjugation of the NITEC-active moiety. This enhances the biocompatibility and reliability in complex biological environments due to the facile NITEC click chemistry. The hydrogel nanoparticles will be delivered via minimally invasive catheter injection and extensively tested on cells, organoids, and biological systems to assess compatibility and efficacy.

Success in this endeavor will establish a precise imaging technique for quantifying tissue inflammation using stimuli-responsive biomaterial, aligning with SET 3 objectives of the BioPACIFIC MIP initiative.

 What excites you about NSF BioPACIFIC MIP?

As a new member of the interdisciplinary Carlini Group, I am excited to immerse myself in biomaterials after focusing on computational and physical chemistry in undergrad. I believe that as a BioPACIFIC MIP Fellow, I will be exposed to many resources and experiences that will help improve my synthetic, creative and critical thinking skills, especially at the monthly and quarterly meetings.

In addition to my engagement with Chemistry Professional Development (ChemPD), I will have the opportunity to connect with many other scientists within the field of stimuli-responsive biomaterials. Collaborating within the Carlini Group and beyond promises to enrich my understanding and contribute to our collective research efforts. I am excited to learn more about the professional development events and meetings to help me become more effective at sharing and applying knowledge to help advance biomaterials science and science communications within our team and beyond.